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The Presidential candidate of Ghana’s governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has been touring the country to meet with supporters and share his vision ahead of the country’s election on Dec. 7, 2024.
However, DUBAWA’s investigations have shown that Ghana’s Vice President has been repeating some claims that have been independently fact-checked to be false during his campaign tours.
DUBAWA has identified two false claims the economist has been repeating to his supporters nationwide.
Claim 1: The NPP flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, alleges that “Ghana is the most peaceful country in West Africa – most peaceful.”
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s research has revealed that Ghana is not the “most peaceful country” in West Africa. The latest Global Peace Index (GPI) has shown that Sierra Leone is the most peaceful country in the subregion, with a score of 1.792, followed by Ghana in second place, with a score of 1.799.
Full Text
Ghanaians will head to the polls in less than four months to elect the next President and 275 legislators. This will be the ninth general election held in the West African country since 1992 when it was ushered into a democratic rule.
The Presidential candidates of Ghana’s governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, have been touring the country to meet with supporters and share their vision ahead of the crucial election on Dec. 7, 2024.
Interacting with a section of the clergy in Cape Coast in the Central region of Ghana, Dr Bawumia said the West African country is the most peaceful in the subregion.
“God has blessed us, [but] sometimes we don’t recognise this blessing. We are the most peaceful country in West Africa—one of the most peaceful in the whole of Africa,” the former Bank of Ghana deputy Governor said in the Twi dialect.
See Dr Bawumia’s claim in the video posted on YouTube from minutes 16:09 to 16:38 here.
DUBAWA decided to investigate the claim as part of its campaign against misinformation and disinformation in the country.
Verification
Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo, first claimed that the West African country was the most peaceful in the subregion when he interacted with world leaders on Jan. 30, 2024.
However, a probe by DUBAWA showed the claim was false. See here for DUBAWA’s report.
The latest Global Peace Index (GPI) has shown that Sierra Leone is the most peaceful country in the subregion, with a score of 1.792, followed by Ghana in second place, with a score of 1.799.
A screenshot of the Global Peace Index 2023
Senegal is the third safest country in West Africa, with a score of 1.827. See pages 8 and 9 of the Global Peace Index 2023.
However, with a score of 1.546, Mauritius is the most peaceful and safest country in Africa, placing 23rd globally, according to the GPI 2023.
Conclusion
Contrary to Ghana’s Vice President’s claim, the West African country is not the “most peaceful” in the subregion. The latest Global Peace Index 2023 showed that Sierra Leone is the most peaceful and safest in the subregion.
Claim 2: The NPP 2024 Presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has alleged that before Ghana’s Mobile Money Interoperability, no African country had a system that allowed money transfer from a bank account to a mobile phone.
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s investigations have revealed that contrary to Dr Bawumia’s claim, countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania had rolled out mobile money interoperability systems before Ghana’s. A 2019 Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) report showed that Ghana’s mobile money interoperability was not a novelty in Africa.
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The 2024 Presidential candidate of Ghana’s governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has asked voters at Mamfe in the Eastern region to vote for him to continue with the digitisation of the country’s economy.
The Vice President shared with supporters the many projects the government implemented despite their political opponents’ pessimism.
Dr Bawumia said the government launched the Mobile Money Interoperability when no country in Africa had a system that enabled the transfer of money from a bank account to a mobile phone.
“When we said we were bringing mobile money interoperability– nobody did it in Africa that you can transfer money from your bank account to a mobile phone – network from one to the other,” the economist said in the Twi dialect.
See Dr Bawumia’s claim in the video posted on YouTube from minutes 2:38 to 2:56 here.
DUBAWA decided to probe the claim as part of its campaign against misinformation and disinformation in Ghana.
Verification
DUBAWA’s investigations have shown that Ghana’s Mobile Money Interoperability is not the first system to allow a transfer of money from a bank account to a mobile phone, as Dr Bawumia continues to allege.
The Global System for Mobile Communications has defined mobile money interoperability as the “ability to make an electronic money transfer between two accounts held at different institutions.”
A 2019 Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) report showed that Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania had rolled out mobile money interoperability systems before Ghana’s.
In two separate reports, DUBAWA fact-checked similar claims made by Dr Bawumia in 2020 and 2023 and found them false.
A screenshot of the GSMA 2019 report
Political activities in the country started after the Electoral Commission released the programs of activities for the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
Research conducted by DUBAWA has disclosed that Tanzania has platforms that allow the transfer of funds from mobile wallets to bank accounts before the launch of Ghana’s system.
Conclusion
It is not true that Ghana’s Mobile Money Interoperability was the first in Africa to allow the transfer of funds from a bank account to a mobile phone. A 2019 Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) report showed that Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania had rolled out mobile money interoperability systems before Ghana’s.
