Niccolo Machiavelli is known for being one of the most infamous political theorists of all time. He shamelessly propounded that deception is necessary to carry out one’s political agenda, and this became a threat to the society in which he lived; and it is still a threat to our society today. This theory has maimed, killed and destroyed.
Sadly, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of the Republic appears to have chosen this trajectory — deception, something the Islam faith he belongs to abhors.
Qur’an, 9:119, says: “O you who believe! Fear Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds).”
According to the Qur’an, every Muslim must be truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man will keep speaking the truth and striving to speak the truth until he will be recorded with Allah as a Siddeeq (speaker of the truth).
Again, the Qur’an warns Muslims to beware of telling lies, for lying leads to immorality and immorality leads to Hellfire. A man keeps and strives telling lies until he is recorded with Allah as a liar.”
Laa, ilaa, ilaa, laa, is this the reason why the tag of “a liar” has stuck on Alhaji Bawumia and that his name pops up when you google, “Who is the biggest liar in Ghana?”
Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia is a strong advocate for digital and cashless economy, and he is on record to have stated that he will by no means agree to the introduction of mobile money tax for any reason, and that most of the people who do mobile money in Ghana are the poor and vulnerable hence it would be unfair to introduce such a tax.
Interestingly, the E-levy was passed with the full support of his government whose economy team he leads. So, when it was advertised that he was going to give a lecture on the economy, many people were eager to hear what he was going to say about the E-levy.
As a precursor to Alhaji Bawumia’s lecture on April 7, 2022, an Economic Policy Analyst at the Office of the President, Dr. Kabiru Mahama, speaking on TV3 News @10 with Martin Asiedu-Dartey said that Ghanaians will know Bawumia’s position on E-levy during the lecture.
Dr. Kabiru went further, “He wants to address the questions of Ghanaians. He is going to speak to the concerns of Ghanaians about their lives and livelihood, about prices, about development. He is going to speak to Ghanaians about the future.”
But, tush! Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was silent on the controversial E-levy. The only time he came close to mentioning it was when he was talking about taxes and levies abolished and reduced by the Akufo-Addo government within the last five years, explaining that the E-levy was reduced from 1.75% to 1.5%. This is baffling and possibly insulting, isn’t it?
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) must be very unhappy about this development because during the lifetime of the Prophet, he was known as Al-Amin, or ‘The Honest’, his entire life before he even received his mission as Allah’s final Prophet at the age of 40. He was so trusted in his community that people kept their valuables with him because he was the only one they could trust!
In contrast, Alhaji Bawumia’s behaviour is seemingly at variance with Islamic tenets especially in the month of the Holy Ramadan when all Muslims around the world are expected to lead lives of holiness and sanctity. It is for this reason that I think the Chief Imam must hear it.
May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon the noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his true followers.
Anthony Obeng Afrane
