BAWUMIA CHASTISED FOR BEING A RELIGIOUS BIGOT

NPP Running Mate, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia has been admonished to eschew the religious bigotry that has become his lot because no amount of ethnic and religious bigotry against Vice-President John Mahama would weaken the strong political image the latter has built for himself over the years through humility and respect for all manner of persons without playing any ethnic and religious cards.

Reacting to pronouncements the NPP Running Mate made last week at New Tafo Zongo in the Abuakwa North Constituency of the Eastern Region which was published by the Daily Post, a leading member of the NDC, Alhaji Babalamie Abu Sadat called on Bawumia to instead learn from the humility of John Mahama.

Below is the reaction of Alhaji Babalamie Abu Sadat who is a National Executive Member of NDC to the ethnocentric pronouncements of Dr. Bawumia.

RE: BAWUMIA INSULTS JOHN MAHAMA

I read with shock and dismay a publication in the May 16, 2012 issue of the “Daily Post” newspaper captioned “BAWUMIA INSULTS JOHN MAHAMA”…Says he is not a proper Northerner because he is not a Muslim.

In the report, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, running mate to the NPP Presidential Candidate for the December election, Nana Akufo Addo, was reported to have made a statement at a meeting with the residents of the Tafo Zongo Community that a vote for Nana Akufo Addo in the December elections is a vote for Islam because he (Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia) is a Muslim.

Dr. Bawumia was again quoted as having said that because His Excellency John Mahama is not a Muslim, he is not a true Northerner.

As a Muslim and a National Executive member of NDC, I feel obliged to let Dr. Bawumia know that unlike he, a political novice, His Excellency the Vice- President, John Dramani Mahama has become a political giant whose stature has travelled beyond the shores of Ghana. John Mahama’s political stature cuts across ethnic and sectarian boundaries. He has become a national asset whose sterling qualities are appreciated and admired by all, including those on the other side of the political divide. It is an undeniable fact that the Vice-President for so many years was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole –Bamboi in the Northern Region. This constituency is populated by both Christians and Muslims, yet they kept voting for him and would have continued doing so but for his elevation to the position of Vice-President. What John Mahama stands for and what he has done for the Muslim and Zongo communities of this country which is incomparable to any one in that position is known by all true Muslims in Ghana.

Some of the achievements of John Mahama, the Christian vice president under the NDC government include:

1. Muslims now see how efficient the National Hajj has been handled and organized since the NDC assumed power under the leadership of John Mahama who is not a Muslim as compared to the era when the NPP were in power with a Muslim Vice-President.

2, The two national holidays which the NDC instituted in recognition of the importance of the two Islamic festivals are well known by northerners and Muslims.

3, The establishment of Islamic Education unit of the Ghana Education Service

4, Under his government, some Arabic teachers are now being paid monthly allowances under NYEP. The NDC inherited the NYEP from the NPP but the NPP could not make it possible for Arabic teachers to enjoy the monthly allowance.

Dr. Bawumia should therefore know that no amount of ethnic and religious bigotry against John Mahama would weaken the strong political image that he has built for himself over the years through humility and respect for all manner of persons without playing any ethnic and religious cards.

Come again Dr. Bawumia and learn from John Mahama’s humility.

………………………………………….. Alhaji Babalamie Abu Sadat National Executive Member of NDC