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ACCRA. — John Dramani Mahama was sworn in for a second term as Ghana’s president on Tuesday at a ceremony in the capital Accra, pledging to overcome public discontent by boosting the economy and creating much-needed jobs.
The opposition leader, 66, won the Dec. 7 presidential election by a wide margin to stage a political comeback in the West African nation, the world’s number-two cocoa producer.
He replaces Nana Akufo-Addo, who steps down after serving two terms, continuing Ghana’s democratic tradition.
Over 20 presidents and heads of state from around the world attended the rite in Accra’s independence square, the scene of Ghanaian presidential inaugurations since Kwame Nkrumah was sworn in over six decades ago.
“We are a people battered by economic crises and hardships. But there’s hope on the horizon,” Mahama said in a speech to cheers from thousands of boisterous supporters.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis, an ongoing bailout from the International Monetary Fund and a sovereign debt default, Ghana’s economy is again growing.
In his speech, Mahama said his new economic model would be anchored in agriculture and agribusiness, and would provide jobs for young people, stimulate local industry and attract foreign investment.
Analysts and supporters of Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) party see his two-thirds majority in parliament as a strong mandate to take tough decisions and implement credible policies to improve livelihoods and regain investor confidence. – Reuters
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