Moments after the Agyenkwa Budget was delivered by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta; impatient were the opposition NDC and their class members in the hurling of attacks on the innocent Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
The nature and energy accompanying the verbal attacks and some criticisms from the NDC on Dr Bawumia appeared as though Dr Bawumia was an indomitable threat to any political successes the NDC seeks to attain.
However, it must be stated in clear terms to the NDC and their friends that, politics is a serious venture of service and that, the concerted effort to discredit Dr Bawumia with insults, pure lies and fiction is the most unproductive venture for any serious political group.
Indeed, last year, in an interview with Kwame Sefa Kaye on Peace FM's flagship, Kokrooko; Vice President Dr Bawumia in response to a question regarding taxation of mobile money transaction(MOMO), clearly and unambiguously disagreed with any possible consideration of taxing MOMO.
The reasons supplied by Dr Bawumia were based on his passionately better understanding of the conditions faced by the poor and vulnerable and the consequences taxes will have on the poor who are major consumers of momo.
According to Dr Bawumia, ''I don't think Mobile money should be taxed because most of the people who use the service are poor people so if you put more taxes on it, they will suffer''.
Indeed, it has been suggested by World political philosophers that, a great political leader is determined by the thoughts they hold for the lowest class in a nation's population.
The immediate concern about the poor to Dr Bawumia indicates his determination to put the Ghanaian people first. From his words, the impression is that, government shouldn't be seen to overburden the poor masses.
In sharp contrast to Dr Bawumia, the government believes for some perhaps other reasons that momo should be subjected to tax.
However, with the exception of tax on any transaction of One hundred Ghana cedis (Ghc100) or below, it is plausible for any ordinary Ghanaian person to conceive that, this exemption was due to perhaps the efforts of Dr Bawumia in pleading for the poor.
From the statistics, it has been said that, 30% of the momo transactions represents Ghc100 and below. In spite of this, the principle of collective responsibility among cabinet and government, discourages open disagreements or sharing of contrary views in the public after government has publicly disclosed its policies. That notwithstanding, one cannot blind themselves to the traces of the efforts put in by Dr Bawumia to protect the poor Ghanaian.
Conversely, Mr John Mahama's growing appetite for disrespecting Ghanaians and the poor is boldly a public record. The unreasonable cancellation of Nursing and Teacher training allowances, the ban on employment in the public sector, to mention few are some of the bad records bequeathed to Ghana by John Mahama.
Unfortunately, John Mahama's insatiable appetite for power after serving 8 years as President of Ghana, exposes his abusive intention he intends to inflict on Ghana in some nonexistent and imaginary time.
Delivering his May Day address at the Essipong Stadium in the Western Region, then President Mahama mentioned that ''I urge organized labour to join us as partners in increasing the tax net".
In another version, while President, Mahama was captured explaining to Ghanaians to cope with the taxes he placed on Kayeye (head porters) among others, which is occupied by Mahama's Northern sisters.
Indeed, John Mahama in a show of insensitivity refused to even consider how to put a roof over the head of these porters or even to think about an alternatively dignifying livelihood so as to discourage this form of modern time slavery.
As regards the Akufo-Addo/Dr Bawumia administration, it is instructive to note that with the introduction of FREE SHS, there has been a growing demand for house girls by the affluent class.
The numbers of girl child engaged in Free SHS is overwhelming. It is not surprising that, here in Kumasi, we no longer see young Northern girls engaged in Kayeye owing to the Free access to Senior High School made possible by Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration.
In respect of assisting the individuals and ordinary Ghanaians who get caught up with difficulties in life, Dr Bawumia has been a rescue point with the might of God. Talk of Sam Agyetefio (TT), a popular Ghanaian actor who made our screens pleasurable, the consistent feeding of lepers, among others. Mahama is a stranger to this concept of concerning oneself to the poor.
The points above and among others explain why the ordinary Ghanaian invariably yearns for a Bawumia Presidency where the Ghanaian people believes deeply that, their concerns will be a priority just as it's presently since 2016.
The insensitivity of Mahama to the plight of the poor discourages him from even seeing himself as empathising with the poor Ghanaian. Suffice to say is that, the ordinary Ghanaian saw Mahama and his 'yen tie obiaa' style of insensitivity; and that, the Ghanaian knows better and will opt for Bawumia any day because Dr Bawumia won't shy away from standing with the poor and fighting for the poor.
Source: Dr. Kwaku Nkansah/[email protected]
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