”We want Ramatu“, these were chants that greeted speaker Alban Bagbin’s acknowledgement of the presence of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his wife, Samira Bawumia after President Akufo-Addo had presented the State of the Nation Address in Parliament.
The incident was prompted by an obvious slip of tongue by the Speaker on January 7, when he ‘mistakenly’ mentioned one ‘Ramatu Bawumia’ as the spouse of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, whilst acknowledging dignitaries present after the swearing-in ceremony of Nana Addo,
The name stirred controversy on social media with allegations that the vice president has another wife named Ramatu.
Reacting to the chant of the NDC MPs, the Speaker quipped “Hon. Members, I don’t know which of your girlfriends is called Ramatu”
Meanwhile in the address delivered yesterday, the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said in spite of the Covid 19 pandemic, the nation is still doing well in good health, and remains very attractive to investors.
According to him, the country is currently reeling from the effects of COVID-19, but confident that with the progress of the vaccination programme, it will recover quickly, and work towards putting the nation back onto the path of progress and prosperity.
“We are building a more inclusive society, and, soon, things will work for all in Ghana, and then we will fulfill our true potential as the Black Star of Africa.” President stated in his State of The Nation Address
The President also indicated that the pandemic has exposed the need to expedite the process of moving Ghana to a situation beyond aid. That is why Government has developed and is currently implementing the one hundred-billion-cedi (GH¢100 billion) Ghana CARES ‘Obaatampa’ Programme to transform, revitalise and modernise our economy, and return it to high and sustained growth for the next three years.
The President’s presentation of the State of the Nation Address is in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution.
It affords the President an opportunity to itemise sector by sector the general health of the country and outline policies and programmes to facilitate the country’s socio-economic development.