‘Digital gate didn’t open for digital man’ –Mahama mocks Bawumia

Former President John Mahama has taken a swipe at Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, accusing him of misleading the public regarding his role in the country’s digitalisation drive.

Mahama specifically criticised Bawumia’s claim that the Ghana Card could be used for international travel, calling it deceptive. Addressing the issue during his Ashanti Region tour, Mahama alleged that Bawumia knew his statements were false.

He pointed to an incident on December 3, when Bawumia attempted to use the newly launched E-Gates at Kotoka International Airport, only to experience a delay. Mahama suggested that Bawumia was attempting to bolster his image as “Mr. Digital” by showcasing the E-Gates, but the malfunction raised doubts about the credibility of his digitalisation agenda.

Mocking Bawumia, Mahama said, “The digital gate didn’t open for the digital man,” and further quipped, “You can do all the propaganda with digitalisation you like, but if the fundamentals are weak, the digital gate will expose you.”

This comes after Bawumia presided over the launch of the state-of-the-art E-Gates at Kotoka International Airport, designed to speed up immigration processes for travelers using the Ghana Card. The system, which leverages AI, biometrics, and real-time data processing, is touted as a significant step towards modernizing border management and enhancing national security. Despite the system’s potential, Mahama’s comments suggest growing skepticism over its implementation.