Former Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has claimed that the role of the Vice President is to offer advice to the President and not to take decisions.
The lawmaker representing constituents said this in defence of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
The second gentleman of the land has come under fierce criticism over some of his promises, including the scrapping of some taxes, with his critics wondering why the taxes would not be reduced now.
defended the Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, following criticism over his promises to abolish certain policies introduced by the current government.
Speaking during insights into the NPP’s 2024 manifesto, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu declared that as Vice President, Dr. Bawumia is solely an adviser to President Akufo-Addo and has no executive power.
He pointed out that Dr. Bawumia’s commitments to cancel policies such as the electronic levy, betting tax, and restore road tolls are components of the NPP’s 2024 manifesto, unrelated to his present Vice Presidential functions.
“President Rawlings succeeded himself in 1996. Did he have the same manifesto as he had in 1992? The 1996 manifesto of the NDC was significantly different from the 1992 manifesto, even though Rawlings succeeded himself.
“President Kufour succeeded himself; in the second stanza of his administration, the manifesto was marketed differently because society is dynamic.”
“President Mahama, when he succeeded President Mills, didn’t have the same manifesto; he didn’t repeat the same manifesto because circumstances have changed. This should be obvious. Executive authority in this country is vested in one person.
“The Vice President is an adviser to the president; he’s the prime adviser. It doesn’t mean that whatever is proposed by the Vice President should be taken by the president because, as I said, the executive authority is in one person.”
Source: BBC
