Bawumia’s Plan to Lock Out Non-NPP Ghanaians Draws Fire
By Gifty Boateng
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the desperate NPP presidential kingpin, is unleashing a scandalous “Welfare Database” exclusive for party loyalists only, scholarships, fat jobs, and juicy loans handed out like free akpeteshie to delegates while ordinary Ghanaians rot.
In this bloody primaries bloodbath barreling toward January 31, 2026, the scheming ex-Vice President and former BoG Deputy Governor is waving this corrupt carrot to crush fire-breathing rival Kennedy Agyapong and steal the crown.
At a sweat-soaked delegate huddle, Vice-President-turned-presidential-hopeful Dr Mahamudu Bawumia spilled the dark secret that promises exclusive access to state-sponsored opportunities for New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates, should he secure the party’s nomination and win the 2028 general election.
The proposal, which centres on the creation of a “welfare database” for party members, has sparked concern among civil society actors and political observers who warn it could institutionalise partisan patronage.
Speaking to party delegates in the Eastern Region, Bawumia outlined a digital system that would collect and store data on NPP members’ needs including employment, scholarships, and access to credit with the aim of distributing state-backed benefits directly to them.
“We will not ask you to go online and apply,” he said. “The jobs will come to you through the database.”
The initiative, which Bawumia first floated during his 2023 flagbearership campaign, is being rebranded as a cornerstone of his grassroots mobilisation strategy. He argues that the party’s electoral fortunes depend on addressing the welfare needs of its base, citing internal research that links voter apathy in 2024 to perceptions of neglect by the party hierarchy.
But the latest iteration of the plan which explicitly excludes non-NPP members has drawn criticism for its overtly partisan framing. “If it is for us as party people, it will be for us,” Bawumia said in a video circulated by his campaign. He added that the system would prevent “outsiders” from accessing benefits and would eliminate the practice of selling government slots to the highest bidder.
The proposal is being interpreted by critics as a thinly veiled attempt to institutionalise clientelism within the public sector. Analysts warn that such a system, if implemented, would undermine meritocracy and deepen political polarisation.
“This is not just a welfare policy it’s a loyalty rewards scheme,” one Accra-based political economist told The New Republic. “It raises serious questions about the impartiality of state institutions under a Bawumia presidency.”
Bawumia’s main rival in the January 31, 2026 NPP primary, Kennedy Agyapong, has yet to formally respond to the proposal, though his campaign has previously accused the vice president’s camp of weaponising state resources to secure internal party support.
The NPP’s internal contest is shaping up to be one of the most divisive in the party’s history, with both leading contenders trading barbs and unveiling populist pledges aimed at energising the party’s base.
While Bawumia continues to position himself as the architect of a digital Ghana, his latest proposal suggests a pivot toward more traditional forms of political patronage albeit with a digital twist.