I'm sorry for comparing you to Bawumia — Isaac Adongo apologises to Harry Maguire

Adongo said at the time he made the evaluation, the English player and Ghana's Head of the Economic Management Team were not living up to expectations in their respective jobs.

Adongo’s speech on the floor of Parliament gained the attention of the international media after he ridiculed Maguire and compared his performance to Dr. Bawumia.

The NDC MP speaking on the floor of Parliament compared Ghana’s bleak economic situation to the defending of Maguire, who is the captain of Manchester United.

Harry Maguire AFP

After a year, Adongo said Maguire has turned his fortunes around whereas Dr. Bawumia has led the country into debt.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, Adongo said "Will you prefer Mr. Mahama's economy where you were drinking your kalyppo for 50 pesewas to your (era)... where you are buying that Kalyppo for GH¢6? Which do you prefer? You have inflated your revenue by over GH¢40 billion so that you can now project expenditure of GH¢226 billion so you can have GH¢40 billion cushion for reckless expenditure in an election year. That is all that you have done."

He explained that during the four-year tenure of former President John Mahama, the total revenue he took from the people of Ghana was GH¢65 billion.

He added that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had taken GH¢344 billion from the people's pocket and an additional amount of "GH¢279 billion from the poor people in Ghana."

On the back of this, he apologised to the footballer for making such an evaluation.

"Mr. Speaker, you remember that last year, I was very quick to compare my big brother, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to Harry Maguire. Mr. Speaker, I am now apologising to Harry Maguire. Today Maguire has turned, he is a transformational footballer.

"Harry Maguire is now scoring goals for Manchester United. Harry Maguire is now a key player for Manchester as for our Maguire [Dr. Bawumia], he is now roaming at the IMF with a cup in hand. As for our economic Maguire, he was able to get our pensioners to leave their homes and come and parade in the streets," he noted.