John Mahama Pledges New Direction for Ghana After Election Victory

Following his official declaration as the victor of Saturday’s presidential election, Ghana’s opposition candidate and former President, John Mahama, committed to providing “a new beginning, a new direction” for the nation. Mahama secured 56.6% of the votes, surpassing Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, who received 41.6%. This outcome marks the largest margin of victory in the country in 24 years. Jean Mensa, the head of Ghana’s electoral commission, reported a voter turnout of 60.9%. Mahama expressed feeling “humbled” by the fact that he and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) had “chalked one of the best results in the electoral history of Ghana”. He further highlighted that Ghana had “made history” through the election of its first female Vice-President, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang. Mahama extended his gratitude to Bawumia for conceding, an action taken well in advance of the official results announcement. The Vice-President stated his concession was made “to avoid further tension and preserve the peace of our country”. Despite this, a degree of frustration persisted regarding the extended time taken to announce the official results. Current President Nana Akufo-Addo is concluding his tenure, having reached the official limit of two terms in office. This electoral event occurred amidst the most severe economic crisis seen in a generation. Prominent issues included unemployment, the rising cost of living, and worries concerning the environmental repercussions of illegal gold mining, referred to as “galmasey”. Reflecting a widespread desire for change among many Ghanaians, Mahama secured victory in several regions—Bono, Ahafo, Western, and Central—which the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) had previously won in 2020. Following Bawumia’s concession on Sunday, supporters of Mahama have been observed celebrating nationwide. Crowds engaged in cheering, flag-waving, horn-blowing, and motorbike spinning. “I’m so excited for this victory,” Salifu Abdul-Fatawu conveyed to the BBC from the central city of Kumasi. He expressed hope that this outcome would lead to employment for himself and his sibling, alongside a reduction in food and fuel prices. While the election proceedings were largely peaceful, two individuals were fatally shot on Saturday in distinct incidents. Additionally, the electoral commission office located in the northern town of Damongo was reportedly destroyed, allegedly by NDC supporters who were angered by the delays in announcing the results. Mahama, aged 65, previously governed Ghana from 2012 to 2017, at which point he was succeeded by Akufo-Addo. Having also lost the 2020 election, this current victory signifies a remarkable return to power. Since the reintroduction of multi-party politics in Ghana in 1992, Mahama’s NDC and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have consistently alternated in governmental power. No political party has ever secured more than two consecutive terms in office, a pattern that appears poised to persist. Mahama’s prior period in office was characterized by an struggling economy, recurrent power outages, and allegations of corruption. Nevertheless, Ghanaians harbor aspirations for a different outcome this time. Throughout his campaign, Mahama pledged to transform Ghana into a “24-hour economy”. The inauguration of the new president is scheduled for 7 January 2025. Additional reporting was contributed by the BBC’s Komla Adom from Kumasi. Further news from the African continent can be found at BBCAfrica.com. Follow updates on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa, or on Instagram at bbcafrica. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.