"We've Not Forgotten" - Adum Phone Dealers Question NPP’s Choice Of Bawumia For 2028

 

Phone dealers at Adum in Kumasi, one of Ghana’s busiest commercial hubs, have openly challenged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over its decision to select Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as flagbearer for the 2028 presidential elections, demanding clear explanations from party leaders, members, and delegates.

The traders’ reaction follows the NPP’s internal flagbearer election, a process that has revived painful memories for many Ghanaians about what they describe as economic mismanagement during the party’s time in government. For the Adum dealers, the choice of Dr. Bawumia who served as Vice President during that period raises serious questions about accountability and credibility.

Speaking in interviews, several dealers said their trust in the NPP has been badly eroded. They argue that the hardships they endured, including currency instability, reduced consumer spending, and rising import costs for mobile phones and accessories, are still fresh in their minds.

“We suffered too much. Business collapsed, prices kept changing, and customers disappeared,” one dealer said. “Now they want to bring back the same person and expect us to be excited?”

The traders are also questioning the NPP’s broader intentions. Some asked whether the party plans to derail what they describe as the current economic recovery efforts under President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC, or whether Dr. Bawumia intends to finally deliver on promises he made while in office.

One promise repeatedly mentioned is the much-publicised idea of providing mobile phones through a GH¢1 monthly payment scheme, which never materialised during the NPP’s tenure. To the Adum dealers, the pledge has become a symbol of what they call “big talk with no delivery.”

“Are we supposed to believe the same promises again?” another trader asked. “Why didn’t he do it when he had power?”

The sentiments from Adum reflect a wider public skepticism emerging across the country. As political temperatures begin to rise ahead of 2028, the reaction from these traders signals a warning to the NPP: winning delegates is one thing, but winning back public trust may be a far harder battle.