Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the vice president, claims to have his own vision on how to advance Ghana in the Fourth Industrial Revolution that is currently taking place.
Dr. Bawumia said in a speech to thousands of New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters and excited Ghanaians who had gathered at the NPP National Headquarters to witness his filing and submission of nomination forms for the party’s primary elections that he had helped Vice President Nana Akufo-Addo realise his vision for Ghana and was now running for President to carry out his own vision and advance Ghana.
“I recently sent in my candidature paperwork to run as the New Patriotic Party’s presidential candidate in 2024. Dr. Bawumia was greeted with loud applause as he declared, “I think this is the beginning step to our triumph in 2024, by the Grace of God.
Prior to outlining his vision for moving Ghana forward for the ecstatic audience and, to a greater extent, Ghanaians, Dr. Bawumia spoke about the transformational and significant policies that, in spite of the recent three years’ of global economic hardship, he helped President Akufo-Addo to implement as Vice President.
Despite the current economic challenges, our government has built more infrastructure than any other government in the fourth republic, and numerous transformational policies have been implemented for the first time in our nation’s history, such as the Ghanacard, Digital Address, Mobile Money Interoperability, Drone-Delivered Medicines, One District One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs, Zongo Development Fund, Agenda 111, Free TVET, and Drone-Delivered Medicines, and Free SHS, to name a few. In addition, we have produced more employment in the fourth republic than any other administration with 2.1 million jobs in six years.
“It is crucial that we don’t move backward as a nation after implementing these revolutionary policy efforts. People who don’t comprehend and believe in the vision cannot be trusted with control of the nation. It is crucial that we break the eight because of this. Dr. Bawumia stated that there is still a lot to be done.
I also have a vision for Ghana, he added. By building on the previous accomplishments, I think it is time to take Ghana to the next level.
Then, as a sign of his confidence in being chosen as the NPP’s flagbearer, Dr. Bawumia presented a brief description of his vision for Ghana and made a commitment to give a more thorough one in his election manifesto in 2024.
I want to see a Ghana where we use technology, data, and systems to promote equitable economic growth. Together with you, I want to see that happen. The digital hub of Africa should be Ghana, in my opinion. I aim to close the digital gap and improve industries like healthcare, education, and public service delivery with the use of artificial intelligence and digital technology.
In order to meet the needs of the fourth Industrial Revolution, I want to see Ghana with an education system that is skewed towards STEM, robotics, artificial intelligence, digital, and vocational skills.
“With you, I want to see a Ghana where we provide for the needs of the underprivileged, disadvantaged, ill, and excluded people.
Together with you, I want to see a Ghana where commercial farming is aided by the use of science, data, artificial intelligence, satellites, the internet of things (IOT), and irrigation to achieve food security as soon as feasible. Additionally, we will finish the continuing digitization of data across all farms in the 16 areas.
“With you, I want to see a Ghana where we make the most of our natural resources, like gold and lithium, by implementing policies like value addition, establishing a gold refinery that is LBMA-certified, enhancing the gold for oil policy, and allocating specific gold concessions to the Bank of Ghana to boost their accumulation of gold reserves.
“I want to see Ghana become an industrialised country with you. In addition to introducing new technologies like digital manufacturing for the production of replacement parts, syringes, and other equipment, I want to solidify and advance the present industrialization plan that we have adopted.
“With you, I want to see a Ghana that manages its public finances with strong fiscal discipline, resulting in a sustained and considerable decrease in bank lending rates.
Together with you, I hope to see an empowered local business sector in Ghana, with a focus on startups and SMEs to spur investment and development. By giving SMEs distinctive IDs and utilising technology to facilitate their access to new sources of funding and markets, we will revolutionise the SME environment. I also want to provide the private sector incentives so that it would take over from the government in providing a lot of infrastructure and other services.
“Together with you, I want to see a Ghana with a developed and functional credit system that makes use of credit scoring by credit reference agencies, integrated databases from banks, the DVLA, the NIA, digital address systems, etc., to let workers get cheaper credit for items like furniture, cars, TVs, fridges, and homes (mortgages).
“With you, I want to see Ghana achieve energy self-sufficiency at a lower cost through the use of solar and other renewable energy sources and the implementation of market efficiency in the energy sector.
“With you, I want to see a Ghana that places more emphasis on both private and state investment in the travel industry, the creative industries, and sports.
“This is not a complete list, and we will have the opportunity to present a thorough Manifesto for Ghanaians in due course,” the statement reads.