‘I intend to always tell you the truth’ – President Mahama in acceptance speech

The President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, has pledged his unwavering commitment to communicate the truth to Ghanaians during his tenure as leader of the country.

Delivering his acceptance speech during his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, 7th January, President Mahama expressed profound gratitude to voters for their overwhelming endorsement and promised to reset the country towards economic transformation.

He assured his firm commitment to navigating the challenges facing the nation with humility, urging all citizens to eschew pessimism and promote the national interest.

I will have the humility and presence of mind to take responsibility for any challenges and be willing to act firmly and timelessly to resolve the challenges that we face as a nation. Since the elections, I have read and heard the word hope used many times in relation to my presidency and what it should offer the citizens of Ghana.

I intend to speak plainly and clearly to you today and every time I address you subsequently. I intend to always tell you the truth. The circumstances we find ourselves in are indeed dire, but even so, I'll be decisive and swift in my actions.

H.E. John Mahama outlined four critical measures he intends to prioritise in governance:

We'll focus our initial efforts on four critical areas. The first is economic restoration and stabilisation of the macroeconomic environment. The second is the improvement of the business and investment environment to ensure that Ghana is once again open for business. The third is governance and constitutional reforms and the final, but not the least, is accountability and the fight against corruption.

In his address, the President also acknowledged the impact of global pandemics on livelihoods across the world, particularly in Africa, emphasising the need to improve health infrastructure.

He pledged:

My government will be working diligently to strengthen our public health systems while monitoring the global health situation so that when—and not if, but when—the next pandemic or epidemic occurs, the loss of lives in Ghana will be minimal. The larger world exists around us and, to some extent, within us.

President John Mahama further promised to implement a 24-hour economy to create job opportunities and establish an enabling environment for businesses.

The president inauguration ceremeny welcomed several heads of state and international delegations, including the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Wonie Bio, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame and a delegation from the United States, among others.

Read Full Story