A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team, Hamza Suhuyini, has urged the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2028 flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to join the ongoing national clean-up exercise, saying his participation would reinforce the non-partisan nature of the initiative.
The nationwide exercise, directed by President John Dramani Mahama, was launched in response to the recent floods that claimed lives, displaced residents and submerged homes across parts of the country. It is aimed at restoring sanitation and preventing disease outbreaks by clearing choked gutters, cleaning streets and removing debris.
The exercise began on Friday, July 10, from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and continued on Saturday, July 11, with President Mahama, government officials and members of the public participating in clean-up activities in affected communities.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Saturday, July 11, Suhuyini said it would have been “beautiful” to see Dr Bawumia take part in the exercise.
“It was intended to be a national exercise, national in character, devoid of partisanship,” he said.
Suhuyini recalled that Dr Bawumia had previously described the clean-up campaign as a national effort that should not be politicised and argued that participating in it would have strengthened that message.
“How beautiful it should have been, especially this morning, to see that even he, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, had also joined a community in line with that national call for patriotism, cleaning. It should have been beautiful,” he said.
He added, “I know His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama would have done that. It should have been beautiful and would have given some credence to that call.”
Suhuyini stressed that his comments were not intended as criticism of the former Vice President, noting that Dr Bawumia had visited flood-affected communities.
“It is not to criticise him. I’m just saying, if politicians are to go by their words and exhibit some level of integrity and credibility, it would have been nice, beautiful, to actually see that beyond the optics, we have our political leaders out there actually campaigning, joining the process,” he said.
He further stated that seeing political leaders actively participate in the exercise would have inspired more citizens to join.
“How beautifully exciting and inspiring to see His Excellency Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, beyond the rhetoric of it being a national concern, also joining the bandwagon,” he said.
Suhuyini, however, acknowledged that the NPP’s internal elections taking place on Saturday may have occupied Dr Bawumia’s attention.
“But I’m told that the NPP, they are actually engaging in their internal primaries today… perhaps that has taken his attention,” he added.
