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President John Dramani Mahama has extolled the economic credentials of his Vice President, Kwesi Amissah Arthur. According to him, Amissah Arthur has been instrumental in running the country especially in his absence.

These qualities, according to the President gives him ample space and time to focus on pressing issues whiles his vice does the rest. Critics of the Vice President have often described him as unproductive saying he is not politically fit for the position. Some have questioned his usefulness to the government as a former Governor of Bank of Ghana in the face of critical fiscal challenges. But his supporters say despite his quiet nature, he is an effective technocrat. Speaking on Garden City Radio in the Ashanti Region, President Mahama said “Paa Kwesi is a very humble, sharp and an intelligent person.

He is an Economist so he helps me a lot with the technical backstopping to do with the economy and other related things because he is a technical person when it comes to the economy.” “He deals hands-on with the Finance Minister on those issues relating to our economy. When I took the ECOWAS Chairmanship and I had to be resolving issues in Burkina Faso and dealing with Ebola and all that, I felt okay because I knew I had a steady hand taking control of things,” he said. Amissah Arthur was until his appointment the Governor of the Bank of Ghana.

He was sworn in on August 6, 2012 after being vetted by Parliament. Though the President has not yet selected his running mate for the 2016 elections, some believe Amissah Arthur is likely to be maintained especially after he picked up nomination forms on behalf of the President.