Former President Mahama criticizes VP Bawumia’s digitalization agenda after reported E-Gate malfunction. What do YOU think?

Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport (KIA) now boasts state-of-the-art E-Gates, powered by Ghana Cards, streamlining immigration for faster, safer arrival processing. Vice President Bawumia lauded the AI and biometric technology, positioning Ghana as a leader in African border management innovation. The Interior Minister emphasized enhanced security, while the Immigration Service highlighted improved efficiency.

Former President John Mahama, the NDC flagbearer, has launched a scathing attack on Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, accusing him of deceptive rhetoric regarding Ghana’s digitalization efforts. Mahama specifically targeted Bawumia’s claim that the Ghana Card facilitates international travel, asserting that this statement is demonstrably false and knowingly misleading to the Ghanaian public.

Mahama’s criticism arose during his ongoing tour of the Ashanti Region. He seized upon the recent commissioning of the E-Gates at Kotoka International Airport as a prime example of Bawumia’s misleading pronouncements. The event, intended as a showcase for Bawumia’s “Mr. Digital” persona and the efficacy of Ghana’s digital infrastructure, reportedly backfired when the Vice President himself experienced difficulties using the E-Gates with his passport.

This incident, according to Mahama, casts significant doubt on the credibility of Bawumia’s digitalization agenda. He pointed out the irony of the “digital man” being unable to utilize the very technology he championed, highlighting a disconnect between Bawumia’s pronouncements and the reality of Ghana’s digital infrastructure. Mahama mockingly quipped, “The digital gate didn’t open for the digital man,” underscoring the apparent failure of the system.

Expanding on his criticism, Mahama argued that despite Bawumia’s extensive use of digitalization propaganda, the underlying weaknesses of the system have been exposed by this incident. He stated, “You can do all the propaganda with digitalisation you like, but if the fundamentals of your digitalisation are weak, the digital gate will expose you,” directly employing Bawumia’s own rhetoric to critique the apparent shortcomings of the digitalization project. The incident, therefore, serves as a focal point for Mahama’s broader criticism of Bawumia’s leadership and the credibility of his digitalization claims.