Take Ghana’s Challenges Seriously, Not as Secondary School Debate Topics – Tamale North MP urges Bawumia

Member of Parliament for Tamale North Alhassan Suhuyine, has issued a stern caution to the standard bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)Dr. Mahamoud Bawumia, urging him to approach Ghana’s problems with seriousness and responsibility, rather than treating them as topics for a secondary school debate.

The campaign team for Dr. Mahamoud Bawumia, has expressed full confidence in the Vice President’s readiness to engage in a debate with former President John Dramani Mahama at any given opportunity.

In a statement released by Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Communications Director for the Dr Bawumia campaign team, it was emphasised that the debate would provide Ghanaians with the opportunity to choose their next leader after President Akufo-Addo.

But appearing on Metro TV’s News and Current Affairs show, Good Morning Ghana, on April 30, 2024, Alhaji Suhuyine expressed concerns about the manner in which Dr. Bawumia appeared to engage with critical issues facing the nation. He emphasized that Ghana’s challenges were complex and far-reaching, requiring pragmatic solutions and a sense of accountability from political leaders.

“The problem we face in Ghana today, I will repeat, are greater and bigger and beyond being reduced to a secondary school debating topics and who debate them better or not”

Drawing attention to Dr. Bawumia’s background as a renowned debater during his time at Tamale Senior High School (Tamasco), Alhaji Suhuyine noted that while the Vice President may excel in oratory skills, addressing national issues transcended mere rhetoric and scoring debate points. He emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for one’s statements and actions, especially in matters that impact the lives of millions of Ghanaians.

“We do know that those who know Dr Bawumia will tell you that he was a leading debater in secondary school, in Tamasco and so when you see the way he approaches issues, is as if he has not grown out of that, secondary school way of debating, without taking responsibility for what you said during the debate. if it is against, then you choose to be against with no responsibility” he stressed.

The Tamale North MP underscored the gravity of the challenges confronting Ghana, emphasizing that they should not be trivialized or reduced to a contest of who can debate better. He called for a shift in mindset, urging Dr. Bawumia and other political leaders to demonstrate a genuine commitment to addressing the nation’s problems with sincerity and accountability.

“I just want to caution that Dr Bawumia should not treat Ghana and its problems like a topic for secondary school debate. The problems that we face as a country are not basic issues that should be reduced to topics for debate and who debates them well or better, even though I have every confidence in the oratory skills of John Dramani Mahama, it is not about who debates better”