Selfless leadership will rekindle nationalism

Last Saturday, Ghanaians ushered in a new regime, with high expectations of a better future.

In his inaugural address at the ceremony, the new President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, spoke about the country’s proud heritage, saying: “Sixty years after attaining nationhood, we no longer have excuses for being poor. I stand here today, humbled beyond measure for the opportunity to lead the country at this time and take us to a higher level of our development.”

Yesterday, the President, mindful of the task ahead of him, described by some as intimidating challenges, started work at the Flagstaff House in earnest and received local and international delegations.

We are happy with the enthusiasm with which President Akufo-Addo has hit the ground running because there is a lot of work to do to change the fortunes of the people.

The Daily Graphic agrees with the President that as a country, “we have an exuberant and young, growing population that wants the best of what the world has to offer and will not settle for ‘Third World’ or ‘developing world’ standards. We have an adventurous people who are in a hurry for success”.

We recall the hope rekindled in the people by the President when he said “we will build a confident Ghana which is united, at peace with itself and takes pride in its diversity”.

The Daily Graphic, like many Ghanaians, expect our new President to take Ghana to another level of development where the concerns of the people will be catered for.

But we dare say that as a people, we can achieve the goals of the new Ghana if we decide to break away from the status quo and play by the rules.

Yesterday, there was news of some elements believed to be supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) seizing state properties around the country because, according to them, their government had assumed the reins of power.

This action by activists of the NPP is unacceptable, but we shall return to this subject later and ask all men of goodwill and conviction to stand up to insist on what is noble and right in our country.

The Daily Graphic thinks that the success of the new government depends on the contributions of all, irrespective of our political and religious affiliations.

Ghana now enjoys the goodwill associated with a change in government in this part of the globe, but we must bear in mind that nobody can develop our land for us except by our own efforts.

Luckily for this great nation of ours, it is endowed with human and natural resources which we must harness for our own good.

The path to success and prosperity, where disease, poverty and unemployment will be reduced to the barest minimum, may be long and narrow, but with determination we can defeat those seemingly daunting enemies.

The Daily Graphic urges all to buy into the vision of the new government for our mutual good, but we equally ask the President and his team to serve and give direction to the Promised Land, as well as desist from lording it over the ordinary people.