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I've not abandoned the economy- Bawumia explains why he is focusing on digitization 

By Justice Kofi Bimpeh
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Vice President Dr. Bawumia has responded to concerns that he has abandoned the economy for the digitization drive of the country.

Speaking at an Agric students’ boot camp at the Jubilee House on Monday, Dr. Bawumia said: “Coming into government and heading the Economic Management Team, the President gave me that mandate and opportunity to focus on how best we can transform and modernise Ghana to make sure that some of the challenges, some of the risks that, you know, people just want to operate in our economy are facing, how we mitigate those risks, how we make this economy an efficient economy and this is why I have focused on digitalisation,” Dr. Bawumia said.

He added, “sometimes people say, well, we thought you were an economist, but you’re doing so much in IT space. Have you left economics behind? No, no, not at all. In fact, it is because of the economy that I’m focusing on digitising because without building those pillars, our economy will just not be able to stand on its own feet.

READ ALSO : The dollar has arrested Bawumia, he is nowhere to be found - Mahama

"We need to build those pillars to allow all our sectors in the economy to be able to compete and so we decided to address some of the major bottlenecks that businesses face in the Agric sector through digitalisation.”

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson to the Vice President, Dr. Gideon Boako last week said Dr. Bawumia will definitely speak on the economy after accusations that he is nowhere to be found during the current hardship in the country.

Dr. Boako explained that “Whether he [Dr. Bawumia] is going to speak, I don’t think there is any rush in that. The Vice President has always been speaking on the economy. And he will definitely speak. Even yesterday [Monday], he spoke in Ho, and he took a bite at the economy. So I don’t see anything to suggest that the Vice President doesn’t want to speak on the economy."

Dr. Boako further said calls for Dr. Bawumia to break his silence on the current economic predicaments show the level of confidence reposed in him with respect to economic matters.

“People want to hear his voice any time there seem to be a downturn in the economy.”

“If you look at what is happening now, the government is not sleeping on it. There have been serious discussions. The economic management team has been up and doing. What is important is that, whether it is the Vice President or the Minister [of Finance] or the President who is speaking, there ought to be some reliable solutions. That is what Ghanaians are looking for. Ghanaians want results.”

Dr. Bawumia had been projected by the governing NPP in opposition as Ghana’s economic messiah who had the blueprint for rescuing Ghana from its economic woes.