Ghana’s John Mahama was sworn in as president at a colourful ceremony in the capital, Accra, on Tuesday.
He takes over from outgoing president Nana Akufo-Addo, who served two terms in power, the last of which was marked by Ghana’s worst economic turmoil in years, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout and a default.
Mahama won 56% of the vote in the nation’s December 9 presidential election, defeating ruling party candidate and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who secured 41%.
Mahama’s four-year term is his second full stint in Ghana’s top job, having previously served between 2013 and 2017.
He took the oath of office at Accra’s Black Star Square, cheered on by thousands of Ghanaians.
“I John Dramani Mahama, do, in the name of the almighty God swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Ghana as by law established that I would uphold the sovereignty and integrity of Ghana,” he said, taking his oath of office administered by the Chief Justice of Ghana.
“And that I will preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the Republic of Ghana, so help me God.”
Mahama’s deputy, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, also took the oath of office as Ghana’s first-ever female vice president. Her assumption of office is seen as a major signal of Ghana’s readiness to deepen the inclusion of women at the highest levels of political leadership.
Over 12 heads of state from across Africa and beyond were present at the ceremony.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, the current chair of West African bloc ECOWAS, was the special guest of honor. Other African presidents, including Kenya’s William Ruto, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi, were present.
During his speech, the new president promised to serve with dignity and humility. His priority, he said, was to revitalize the Ghanaian economy.
There is ‘hope’ for Ghana
“We are a people battered by economic crises and hardships. But there’s hope on the horizon,” Mahama said, as he was cheered on by thousands of supporters who thronged Black Star Square to witness the ceremony.
Ghana’s economy is struggling. The country’s IMF bailout program is expected to end in 2026.
Political and economic analyst Dr. Abdul Hakim Ahmed told DW that the new president will need time and patience of Ghanaians to deliver on his mandate.
However, Ahmed suggested Mahama must prioritize stabilizing Ghana’s economy and cutting down on expenditure in his first 100 days.
“We have to do things differently. We are not interested in the business as usual,” Ahmed said.
“We have to think outside the box. So if you take the economy for instance, we expect him to implement the promises in his manifesto.”
Ahmed emphasized that Mahama must fulfill his promise to implement proactive policies that protect the poor.
“You have to implement them properly so that the youth who are unemployed will [have jobs],” he added. “And then we have to also improve the general well-being of society. If he’s able to do that, that of the citizen, the general citizenry is able to do that.”
Ghanaians demand accountability and job creation
For many citizens, the expectations are high. Philip Panford, a taxi driver, told DW that he expected the new president to deliver.
“I know he can do better, but for me, my problem now is his predecessor, which is Akufo-Addo,” he said. “The mess that he caused. [Mahama] Promised us that he would deal with those who take our money. That is my expectation.”
Another resident of Accra, Ophelia Ansah, said that young people expect nothing but jobs that alleviate their economic conditions.
“So, I think creation of jobs should be more, that should be a priority for the president,” she told DW.
Mahama campaigned on a 24-hour economy promise, which he believes would enable him to expand the economy and boost production while creating new opportunities for jobs. Citizens say they are anxious for this to happen as soon as possible.
Mahama pledges to reset Ghana’s governance
Mahama won the 2024 election beating his main rival, former vice president Mahamudu Bawumia. Mahama’s party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), also controls the country’s parliament.
Ghana has witnessed another peaceful exchange of political power from a democratically elected government to its successor, a feat the country has chalked since 1992, when it returned to constitutional rule.
Shortly after being declared president, he told DW that he was aware of the task ahead and promised to reset the country.
“It gets to a point where if your computer gets corrupted and it freezes, you need to reset, so, we improve on efficiency in governance and one of the things we need to do is to carry through the constitutional review that stalled after the [former] government came into place,” he said, suggesting an impending constitutional change in Ghana during his tenure.
He said his administration will focus on improving the country’s governance system to tackle corruption, among other prevailing challenges.
Edited by: Keith Walker
