Veteran politician and founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has taken a firm stance against the party’s 2024 presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, questioning his readiness and independence to lead the NPP into the next political cycle.
Appearing on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, May 4, 2025, Dr. Tamakloe argued that Ghana’s current economic crisis demands a fearless and independent-minded leader—qualities he believes Dr. Bawumia has not demonstrated throughout his political career.
“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.
Quoting excerpts from his upcoming memoir, A Nation Into Retirement: A Narrative of a Statesman, Dr. Tamakloe expressed deep concern about Ghana’s trajectory, warning that the country’s worsening debt, unemployment, and public disillusionment with governance call for bold, unapologetic leadership.
“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.”
While acknowledging Dr. Bawumia’s technical competence and economic knowledge, Dr. Tamakloe stressed that governance in Ghana demands more than academic skill. He said it requires political courage—especially the willingness to act in the nation’s interest, even at personal or political cost.
“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.”
Dr. Tamakloe pointed to Bawumia’s silence and inaction during some of the government’s most controversial decisions as evidence of his inability to take a principled stand. In particular, he referenced the passage of the unpopular E-Levy, which Bawumia reportedly opposed behind closed doors. “If it were me, I would have resigned,” he asserted.
Looking toward the 2028 general elections, Dr. Tamakloe called for sweeping reforms within the NPP. He proposed the resignation of the party’s current national executives and the formation of an Interim Management Committee to oversee internal reforms and ensure transparent and fair 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.
Dr. Tamakloe’s new book, A Nation Into Retirement: A Narrative of a Statesman, is set to be launched on May 7, 2025, at 3:00 PM at Christ the King, near Jubilee House.
