Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has described himself as a seed discovered, planted by former President John Agyekum Kufuor and watered by current President Nana Akufo-Addo.
He likened himself to the viable seed that was planted by former President Kufuor because of its potentials to blossom.
Dr. Bawumia has not hidden the fact that the former President is his political godfather.
He has acknowledged the invaluable guidance and direction of the man who has on several occasions, openly acknowledged him as his son.
President Akufo-Addo, Dr. Bawumia pointed out, also nominated him to be his running mate for three consecutive times from 2008 based on the trust the president reposed in him until NPP won the 2016 general election.
Former President Kufuor has consistently, hailed Ghana’s current Vice President, describing him as a ‘True Son’.
According to the former President, Dr. Bawumia who served as a Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana under his administration has been a loyal son to him and his course since he got to know him.
“Let me single out one person, he is also a father but I can claim that he happens to be my son too and that’s the Vice President sitting right by me. In your narration, you said when the planners decided to invite the Vice President, you learnt he had gone to the North for some duties and you even doubted whether he will manage to come”, he is quoted to have said at a public event.
Making a public commentary on the father-son relationship between them, Dr. Bawumia enumerated how he was discovered, given critical roles under the presidency of Kufuor and subsequently becoming running mate in 2008.
“There was a time that the Financial Times organized a forum on Ghana’s economy during President Kufuor’s Era. At that forum, President Kufuor, Osafo-Maafo, Dr. Paul Acquah, myself and other key dignitaries from Ghana attended.
“While the forum was going on, I sensed some things were not put right about the economy of Ghana so I asked to be given the opportunity to speak, and thankfully my request was granted. When I finished speaking the whole atmosphere in the room had changed. People had then understood what the economic policy of the Kufuor government was.
“In short while we went for a coffee break and President Kufuor asked for me. When I went he said, young man, you have done well, keep it up, you will go far. Just the same week after we returned to Ghana President Kufuor appointed me to the board of Ghana telecom”, he revealed.
Dr. Bawumia served as the Co-Chair of the Economic Policy Coordinating Committee under President Kufuor, Key member of Government’s Technical Negotiations team for HIPC in 2001.
The team negotiated $4 billion relief for Ghana that helped President Kufuor stabilize the economy.
Dr. Bawumia was also the chairman of the Capital Markets Committee that made the Ghana the first post HIPC country in the world to access the international capital markets and a key member of the team that implemented the redenomination of the cedi, Ezwich and the Bank of Ghana’s inflation targeting framework.
