Former Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has urged New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates to ignore claims that former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was responsible for the mismanagement of the economy under the party’s administration, insisting he remains the best candidate to lead the NPP.
She argued that Dr Bawumia should not be held solely accountable for the party’s economic challenges, stressing that his role in decision-making was limited.
Addressing some NPP delegates, Adwoa Safo pointed to the influence of other key officials, particularly the former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, in shaping economic policy.
“Was Dr Bawumia the finance minister? Were we not in government when some MPs said, because of the way our economy is being mismanaged, we should change the finance minister did we? Didn’t he damage everything before he was changed, so how can we blame this on Bawumia?”
She added that Dr Bawumia lacked the authority to overrule decisions taken at the highest level of government.
“He was only the driver’s mate and could not overrule the driver, even if the driver was not performing well,” she said.
Her comments follow criticisms from some flagbearer aspirants in the ongoing NPP presidential primaries, who have blamed Dr Bawumia for the party’s economic record while in government.
The NPP is scheduled to elect its presidential candidate on January 31, 2026, ahead of the next general elections. Dr Bawumia is one of five aspirants contesting the flagbearer slot.
He is competing against former Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong, former Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr Bryan Acheampong, former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong.
