Mahamudu Bawumia
Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia is an economist and former central banker and has been serving as the 5th Vice President of Ghana since January 7, 2017.
1963
Early life and education
Mahamudu Bawumia, born on October 7, 1963, is the twelfth of 18 children in his father's family and the second of five in his mother's family. He attended Sakasaka Primary School and later Tamale Secondary School before studying banking in the UK, earning a Chartered Institute of Bankers Diploma (ACIB). He completed his education with a First Class Honours Degree in Economics from Buckingham University, a master's degree in Economics from Lincoln College, Oxford, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Simon Fraser University in 1995, specializing in Macroeconomics, International Economics, Development Economics, and Monetary Policy, with numerous publications to his name.
1964
Parents
Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, Bawumia's father, was a prominent figure in Ghanaian politics, holding various roles including chief, lawyer, and politician. He played a key role in the formation of the Northern Peoples' Party, which later merged into the United Party and eventually led to the New Patriotic Party's creation. Alhaji Bawumia served in several governmental positions, received national honors, and chaired the Council of State. In 2021, his mother, Hajia Mariama Bawumia, passed away at the age of 81 and was buried alongside her husband in Kperiga, Northeast Region.
1988
Career
Between 1988 and 1990, Bawumia lectured in Monetary Economics and International Finance at Emile Woolf College of Accountancy in London, England, and worked as an economist in the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C.
1996
Assistant Professor
From 1996 to 2000, Bawumia was an Assistant Professor of Economics at Baylor University in Texas, receiving the Young Researcher Award in 1998 and being featured in "Who is Who Among America's Teachers" in 1999. He has authored two books on monetary policy and economic development.
2000
Bank of Ghana
In 2000, Bawumia came back to Ghana, working at the Bank of Ghana as an economist and gradually advancing to become Deputy Governor in June 2006 under President John Kufuor's administration.
2008
Elections
Mahamudu Bawumia served as the running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party candidate, in the 2008 elections, with the NPP improving its vote share in all three Northern Regions compared to 2004 in both the first and second round.
2009
Economic Commission of Africa
Bawumia worked as a consultant for the Economic Commission of Africa in early 2009, followed by a visiting scholar position at the University of British Columbia Liu Centre for Global Studies and UBC Fisheries Centre from April to October 2009. In October 2009, he became a Fellow of the International Growth Centre (IGC), serving as an IGC Team Member for Sierra Leone and advising the Central Bank of Sierra Leone on organizational restructuring and monetary policy framework redesign.
2012
2012 elections
In March 2012, Bawumia was re-nominated as Nana Akufo-Addo's Vice-Presidential Candidate for the 2012 General Elections. Despite winning multiple seats, they ultimately lost the presidential elections to John Dramani Mahama.
2020
Philanthropy
The Vice President is recognized for his philanthropy, including commissioning an ultramodern mosque in Prang, Bono East, and settling land lease arrears for the Kumasi Central Mosque in June and October 2020, respectively.
