Founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has criticized former Vice-President and 2024 presidential candidate of the party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, asserting that he lacks the leadership qualities required to lead the NPP into the 2028 elections.
Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, May 4, 2025, Dr. Tamakloe said Dr. Bawumia is not bold or independent enough to take decisive actions free from political manipulation to revive Ghana’s economy. He quoted excerpts from his upcoming book, A Nation Into Retirement: A Narrative of a Statesman, to support his claims.
“The mess in which we find ourselves requires leadership that can make decisive decisions without any undue interference, and I doubt Dr. Bawumia has that temerity as a leader,” he said.
“We have reached a point in our nation’s history where the stakes are incredibly high, and the solutions require nothing short of bold, decisive leadership,” he added. “The economic and social challenges facing Ghana today—ballooning debt, rising unemployment, and an eroded public trust in governance—cannot be addressed by a leader who is constantly looking over his shoulder for approval from power brokers.”
Dr. Tamakloe emphasized the need for a leader with the courage to break free from political patronage, making tough decisions even if they are unpopular or contrary to entrenched party interests. While acknowledging Dr. Bawumia’s intellect and technical know-how, he insisted that technocratic skill does not equal effective leadership in Ghana’s complex political landscape.
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“I am not convinced that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has shown that level of resolve,” he said. “Throughout his time as Vice President and head of the Economic Management Team, Bawumia’s track record has not demonstrated the independent-mindedness or tenacity we need right now.”
He further criticized Bawumia for not resigning when he disagreed with the government’s controversial E-Levy policy. “If it were me, I would have resigned,” he asserted.
Looking ahead to 2028, Dr. Tamakloe proposed that the current national executives of the NPP should resign and make way for an Interim Management Committee to oversee transparent internal elections. “Those who led us into opposition should have resigned on their own. We need a clean election devoid of monetary influence to elect the right people to lead the NPP,” he concluded.
His book, A Nation Into Retirement: A Narrative of a Statesman, will be launched on May 7, 2025, at 3:00 PM at Christ the King near Jubilee House.
