The Member of Parliament for Ketu North and the Chairman of the Finance committee in Parliament, has questioned the credibility of the assessment of the economy by the New Patriotic Party’s vice presidential nominee, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia.
According to Dr. James Klutse Avedzi, although he is not an economist, his background in finance tells him that the assessment of Ghana’s economy as done by Dr. Bawumia was “intellectually inaccurate.”
“I was highly surprised that somebody who is vying for the number two position of this country will go so low by putting aside his degree; trying to be different from being academic. You know he is a doctor in economics but because of that lecture, I am tempted to ask whether he is actually a doctor in economics.”
The Chartered Accountant accused the economist of being selective in his presentation by discussing subjects that are politically convenient to him.
“If you compare by saying that the cost of building teacher’s bungalow in Damabi training college in 2008 when NPP is power, could be used to build four of that same bungalow if Nana Addo was in power today, then it is economically and academically incorrect! If somebody who is an economist should ask that question without factoring in inflation and other factors, then I am surprised; that is why I questioned the credibility of his degree. He chose areas that he thinks will favor him for what he wants to be.”
Dr. Avedzi advised that; “We should not allow people with too much political colour to give these kind of lectures; the lectures are something that are full of political colours.”
Dr. Bawumia last Thursday delivered a lecture on the state of Ghana’s economy under the theme, “The state of the Ghanaian economy – A foundation of concrete or straw.”
He talked about Ghana’s bailout programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), decline in the country’s per capita income, fiscal deficit, infrastructure, agriculture, among others.
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