Ghanaians have voted decisively for political change. Eight years of NPP rule is to be replaced by a new NDC administration headed by President-elect, John Dramani Mahama.

This is (another) new beginning for Ghana, an opportunity to forge a path which will put the interests of all Ghanaians first. 

Rrecently wrote a piece for the Centre for International Governance Innovation in which I described the likely outcome of the 2024 elections as follows – “by conventional wisdom, the economic pinch points felt under Ghana’s ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, poor assessments of government governance and policy performance as captured by the Afrobarometer survey (in 2019, 2022 and 2024), strongly suggest Ghana’s main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, John Dramani Mahama, has the edge.”

Notice the caution in my assertion. The pre-election surveys and polls of those whose work I trust put me in a state of caution. 

Weeks and months of tense campaigns set an uncertain general election in some minds.

The atmosphere looked gloomy, making the actual day and days after, look worrying.  Some foreign embassies even openly predicted uneasy calm, never experienced in any of the country’s general elections.

The churches, mosques and individuals prayed harder for a peaceful day and serenity after.  The painted picture led the faint-hearted to start stocking their pantries and fridges.  Those who could even afford to travel escaped for the unknown aftermath.

Political parties in the country have been urged to put an end to the disgraceful mob actions that are increasingly becoming an unwritten norm following elections.

Such behavior, if not curbed, could lead to long-term tensions that may negatively impact both domestic and international relations.

This call was made in a statement released last Thursday and signed by the Catholic Bishop of the Jasikan Diocese, Most Reverend Gabriel A Mante.

On December 7, 2024, over 15 million Ghanaians went to the polls to elect a president and 276 members of parliament. The incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo, having completed his constitutional term limits, was ineligible for re-election.

While the collation of results was still ongoing, the country’s vice president and presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat to the opposition leader and candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former president John Mahama.

Perched on the picturesque coastline of Woe, near Keta, in the Volta Region of Ghana stands the historic Cape St Paul Lighthouse. For over a century, this iconic structure has guided mariners safely along the Ghanaian coast, playing a vital role in the country's maritime history.

Built by the Dutch in 1901, the St Paul's Lighthouse is believed to be one of the oldest lighthouses in the country. Its distinctive design sets it apart from the six other lighthouses along the coast from Keta to Axim in the Western Region. 

Collation of election results for some constituencies at the Tesano Police Depot in Accra has been put on hold until further notice, the Electoral Commission (EC) has announced.

There are some constituencies whose collation after last Saturday's presidential and parliamentary elections did not follow the legal process as enshrined in C.I. 127. There are others where collation on Election Day could also not be completed.

The inability to collate and declare results on Election Day which led to the re-collation at the Tesano Police Depot, according to the Electoral Commission was due to disruptions of the collation processes by political party supporters on Election Day and the days following.

President-elect John Mahama has expressed concern over reports of last-minute mass recruitments and contract signings by the outgoing government, warning that such actions could create liabilities for the incoming administration.

Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a founder member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has claimed that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia struggles with decision-making, despite being widely commended for his statesmanship after conceding defeat in the December 2024 elections.  

Nana Akomea, a key member of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's campaign team for the 2024 elections, has revealed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was cognizant of the election's outcome months before the polls. 

The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has criticised the ongoing activities at the Tesano Police Training School, where the Electoral Commission (EC) is collating results from disputed constituencies.

Pollster and Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper, Ben Ephson, has offered insights into why his prediction for the 2024 general election did not materialise.

The Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC) has announced plans to delist approximately 500,000 business names and 5,000 companies from its register by the end of December 2024.

This action targets businesses and professional organisations that have failed to file annual returns, despite receiving a one-year grace period and consistent reminders.

The joint transition team working on the transfer of power from the government to the incoming administration will set up a committee to probe red flags raised over last-minute recruitment by the outgoing government into various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Amenorpe Philbert Fummey, has sued the Electoral Commission (EC) seeking a fresh election in the constituency.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has issued a stern demand to the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, chaired by Jean Mensah, to immediately cease what it describes as a contentious vote collation or recollation exercise in the aftermath of the December 7 General Election. 

Tullow Oil has confirmed that it is engaged in preliminary discussions with US-based Kosmos Energy for a potential all-share acquisition that could reshape the landscape of oil production in West Africa. 

Four analysts say the incoming President, John Dramani Mahama, will need to assemble a “solid team capable of addressing the country’s economic challenges” to set the right governance tone for his second presidency, especially in terms of trust.

On Thursday, December 5, 2024, I was the guest of honour at an art exhibition at the Accra City Hotel.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has demanded justice for a teacher who was stabbed in the left eye by a loitering student of the Asuoso Senior High School at Offinso in the Ashanti Region.

The Office of the Administrator-General (OAG) has said the handover notes covering the eight-year term of office of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are ready to be presented to the President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, for a smooth transfer of power to the new administration.

Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old Nigerian national listed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List, has been extradited from Ghana to face charges in the United States. The announcement was made in a statement by United States Attorney Susan Lehr of the District of Nebraska.

Two apprentices, a male and a female, died on the spot when the motorbike on which they were travelling was knocked down by a Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) Toyota Hilux Pickup.

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Usmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, yesterday called on the President-elect, John Mahama, at his private residence in Accra.

President-elect John Dramani Mahama has promised Ghanaians that his incoming administration will commission an inquiry into deaths related to election 2024, if outgoing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo fails to do so.