By Iddi Yire
Accra, Jan 7, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaians that his government will reset Ghana as part of efforts to address its pressing challenges.
In his inaugural address on Tuesday, January 7, the President noted that Ghana was facing very difficult economic challenges in recent times and reiterated that the votes for him would not be in vain.
“To the millions of my fellow countrymen and women who joined long queues and waited in the sun for their turn to vote for me, you have my sincerest thanks for honouring me,” he said.
“My firm, immutable assurance is that your votes will matter in the work that I will do to make a difference in the destiny of this dear nation of ours.”
“My brothers and sisters, barely a month ago we held historic elections that have caused dramatic shifts in our political landscape.”
“I feel greatly honored that you, my compatriots, considered me worthy of receiving such an unprecedented and overwhelming mandate to steer the affairs of our beloved nation at this critical time in our history.”
President Mahama said the magnitude of the victory in the presidential elections and the gains made by his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the parliamentary elections naturally and justifiably resulted in great joy and celebration across country.
“But celebrations, no matter how justified and how well-earned, must be supplanted by discernment, sobriety and deeper insights into why we received this kind of mandate in the first place”.
He said Ghanaians sent a strong message through their votes on December 7, which could best be described in the words of the former American President Ronald Reagan, when he declared at his inauguration, some 40 years ago, that “governments have no power except that granted by the people.”
“While Ghanaians take great pride in their thriving democracy, they were deeply dissatisfied with the quality of governance over the years and have openly voiced that dissatisfaction through the decisive actions they undertook in the elections.”
President Mahama said any honest introspection and reflection on the pores of the nation would reveal that many within the population did not feel they had benefited from the democratic dividend.
“We are people buffeted by severe economic crises and hardships, and in the last few years we have lurched from crisis to crisis,” he stated.
“But there is hope on the horizon. Today should mark the beginning of a new opportunity. An opportunity for us to make a difference in our governance and our economic management.”
GNA