Congratulations, President-elect Mahama!

Last Monday, President-elect John Dramani Mahama delivered a message of hope, unity and inclusiveness intended to breathe fresh air into the national psyche in a victory speech following the official declaration of Mr Mahama as the winner of last Saturday’s presidential election. 

The Daily Graphic congratulates him on his emphatic electoral victory, a second chance at the presidency he occupied in his first term up to January 6, 2017.

In his victory speech, Mr Mahama made several commitments that we believe are crucial to Ghana's development. He pledged to restore the country's dignity and prosperity, to create sustainable and well-paying jobs, and to provide affordable housing and health care.

He also emphasised the importance of unity and inclusiveness, reminding the nation that "this country, this land, is not for one person, for one family, for one tribe or ethnic group".

Mr Mahama further stated that "The Ghanaian people have little tolerance for bad governance".

If the overwhelming electoral support enjoyed by Mr Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the polls is anything to go by, it is a message that places a burden of hope on them to deliver the expectation of society to improve the living conditions and the general environment for the people.

Various aspects of the economy might have left many Ghanaians feeling frustrated and disillusioned, but the victory speech by the President-elect should inspire hope that the incoming government is aware of the task at hand and willing to deploy all necessary resources to do better.

President-elect Mahama's commitment to good governance is music to the ear. "We must never forget that the people of Ghana have chosen us to represent their wishes and best interests," he said.

We hold him to this admission, and we expect him to prioritise transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in his decision-making.

One of the most significant challenges facing Mr Mahama and the incoming government is the task of rebuilding the economy. As he acknowledged, "the crises our beloved country has been through these last several years have left a scar on our national psyche which may take some time to erase".

We agree that this will be a difficult task but we are confident that with the right leadership, Ghana can recover and thrive.

The President-elect’s vision for a better Ghana is one that should inspire hope among the populace. As he said, "We want a Ghana that works for everybody, not just a few". This is a laudable goal, and we expect Mr Mahama to work to achieve it.

We also expect him to prioritise the needs of the most vulnerable members of society, including the poor, the elderly and those with disabilities.

We expect him to deliver on his promises and to ensure that every Ghanaian has access to the opportunities and resources they need to thrive. It means that opportunities for development must be available and accessible to the average person in a manner that truly defines inclusiveness.

We remind the President-elect that the Ghanaian people have placed their trust in him and that he has a sacred responsibility to deliver on their hopes and aspirations.

And as Mr Mahama prepares to take office, we identify with his statement that "our best days are not behind us; our best days are ahead of us". We could not agree more. With the right leadership and a commitment to good governance, we are confident that Ghana can achieve greatness.

Once again, we congratulate President-elect Mahama on his victory, but we will hold him to the commitments he made on the campaign trail and in his victory speech, and we expect him to deliver on those promises.

We look forward to working with him to build a better Ghana for all.

God bless Ghana!