Kweku Baako Defends Bawumia…"I See Nothing Wrong" With ‘Clueless’ Response

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr has dismissed assertions that Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s response to former President John Mahama in connection with the $2.5 million national digital addressing system which the latter described as “419”, was excessive.

Dr Bawumia described former President John Mahama as having "no clue" whatsoever about the system and "parroting propaganda" for claiming that the National Digital Property Addressing System (NDPAS) is fraudulent. 

To him, the former president would have done himself a great favour if he had read more about the project before coming out to speak about it.

Speaking at an NDC unity walk in Cape Coast last weekend, the former President accused the Vice President of embarrassing the government with the digital addressing system which in his view attracted a huge cost, when same could be accessed on Google Maps for free.

How can you launch a Google GPS system that is freely available on our mobile phone and say it is a national addressing system. It is such a pity. Why will you embarrass the president so much? You go and take a whole president to bring him to come and launch a system that is 419,” John Mahama said.

Dr Bawumia in response said: “I read that the former President described Ghana’s National Digital Addressing system as a 419 scam. When I read his reasoning for such a description, it became very evident to me that he has no clue about what he was talking about and was just engaged in parroting propaganda. I actually had a good laugh.”

Educating the former President and critics of the system, Dr. Bawumia explained that, the system is a “national database system that provides the digital address for every landed property in Ghana.”

"For former president Mahama to claim that Ghana’s NDPAS and the accompanying GhanaPostGPS app is a 419 scam demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the system. We have been witnesses to 8 years of his governance as vice president and president and we know what 419 scams look like...We know a 419 scam when we see one and that, unfortunately, was the hallmark of the administration of former president Mahama. Ghanaians will find out more soon as people are held legally accountable. With the record that former president Mahama has in the area of governance, it is incredible that he would have the effrontery to talk about 419 scams,” the Vice President stated.

However, his riposte did not enthuse some leading figures of the opposition party who waded into the fray, accusing the Vice-President of just pouring invectives at Mr Mahama.

NDC Director of Elections, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo slammed Dr Bawumia for reducing governance to propaganda and described him as the "Chief Propagandist of the government".

Former Deputy Trades Minister in the erstwhile John Mahama administration, Murtala Mohammed on his part noted that Dr Bawumia “has still not found the transition between a Vice President and a running mate. As a matter of fact, he is an apology of a Vice President.”

Finally, sharp-tongued former Deputy Minister for Communications, Felix Ofosu Kwakye, implored the Vice-President to educate his boss, President Akufo Addo on the meaning of GPS instead of former President John Mahama.

It does not lie in the mouth of the Vice President to come and purport to educate President Mahama on anything…with the greatest respect to the President, I doubt if he understands what GPS stands for…if he has any education, he should reserve it for his boss, the President whom I believe, President Mahama stands heads and shoulders above…”

But contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’, Kweku Baako said “I see nothing wrong with what Bawumia said”.

To him, the former President just sought to "criminalize the project whether adducing any fact", thus there was nothing disparaging about Dr Bawumia's response, which he considered a fitting one.

“I think his comment was not robust enough…the project was criminalized. I don’t think he insulted President Mahama and I think he was right. Our NDC friends have just decided to engage in propaganda. I don’t know where the 419 lies…meanwhile you have not given us any evidence. What did he say that was indecent? I don’t see where people are worried. I saw nothing wrong with Bawumia’s reaction. It was perfect” he said