Mahama is under pressure to deliver quickly on promises to curb high youth unemployment and root out corruption
07 January 2025 - 19:22
byMaxwell Akalaare Adombila
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama takes the oath of office in Accra, Ghana, January 7 2025. Picture: REUTERS/FRANCIS KOKOROKO
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 won the December 7 presidential election by a wide margin to stage a political comeback in the West African nation, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer.
He replaces Nana Akufo-Addo, who steps down after serving two terms, continuing Ghana’s democratic tradition in a region gripped elsewhere by military coups and jihadist insurgencies.
More than 20 presidents and heads of state attended the ceremony in Accra’s independence square, the scene of Ghanaian presidential inaugurations since Kwame Nkrumah was sworn in more than 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 supporters.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis, an ongoing bailout from the IMF and a sovereign debt default, Ghana’s economy is again growing.
But Mahama is under pressure to deliver quickly on campaign promises to curb high youth unemployment and root out entrenched corruption, issues that have fuelled distrust in Ghana’s political system.
“The average Ghanaian is growing impatient with our democracy,” said Godfred Bokpin, a finance professor at the University of Ghana.
“People have done their part by voting but they’re asking: what have they gotten from this democracy?”
Power crisis and hunger
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 regard 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.
But a looming power crisis will pose an early challenge, with preliminary estimates showing arrears to service providers in excess of $2.5bn. The worsening outlook threatens to curtail output and hamper the nascent economic recovery.
“The outgoing government kept the system running by bandaging open sores,” said Bright Simons of Accra-based IMANI think-tank. “They left the festering wounds for him.”
Other issues requiring immediate attention are high inflation and exchange rate challenges that are squeezing the incomes of ordinary Ghanaians.
Inflation rose for the third month in a row in November to 23.0%, boosted by surges in food prices.
“We can talk about the skyscrapers and complex things but the reality is that the average Ghanaian is hungry. You must prioritise food production,” Bokpin said.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Ghana’s John Mahama sworn in for second term
Mahama is under pressure to deliver quickly on promises to curb high youth unemployment and root out corruption
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 won the December 7 presidential election by a wide margin to stage a political comeback in the West African nation, the world’s second-largest cocoa producer.
He replaces Nana Akufo-Addo, who steps down after serving two terms, continuing Ghana’s democratic tradition in a region gripped elsewhere by military coups and jihadist insurgencies.
More than 20 presidents and heads of state attended the ceremony in Accra’s independence square, the scene of Ghanaian presidential inaugurations since Kwame Nkrumah was sworn in more than 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 supporters.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis, an ongoing bailout from the IMF and a sovereign debt default, Ghana’s economy is again growing.
But Mahama is under pressure to deliver quickly on campaign promises to curb high youth unemployment and root out entrenched corruption, issues that have fuelled distrust in Ghana’s political system.
“The average Ghanaian is growing impatient with our democracy,” said Godfred Bokpin, a finance professor at the University of Ghana.
“People have done their part by voting but they’re asking: what have they gotten from this democracy?”
Power crisis and hunger
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 regard 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.
But a looming power crisis will pose an early challenge, with preliminary estimates showing arrears to service providers in excess of $2.5bn. The worsening outlook threatens to curtail output and hamper the nascent economic recovery.
“The outgoing government kept the system running by bandaging open sores,” said Bright Simons of Accra-based IMANI think-tank. “They left the festering wounds for him.”
Other issues requiring immediate attention are high inflation and exchange rate challenges that are squeezing the incomes of ordinary Ghanaians.
Inflation rose for the third month in a row in November to 23.0%, boosted by surges in food prices.
“We can talk about the skyscrapers and complex things but the reality is that the average Ghanaian is hungry. You must prioritise food production,” Bokpin said.
Reuters
Museveni’s son wants to behead Bobi Wine
At least 46 kidnapped in Nigeria’s Zamfara state
How Kenya police cover up killings of antigovernment protesters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.