President-elect Mahama inaugurates transition team, calls for cooperation

President-elect John Dramani Mahama called for unity and cooperation today at the official inauguration of the 2024 National Transition Team, a crucial step in ensuring a peaceful handover of power from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). 

Speaking at the ceremony, Mahama thanked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his warm invitation to discuss preliminary issues and for providing an early briefing on key national matters, including security and the economy. "I want to thank His Excellency, the President, for his kind invitation this morning to visit the Office of the President to discuss preliminary issues before the inauguration of the transition team this morning," Mahama said.

He also congratulated Akufo-Addo and all stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission and the security services, for overseeing a successful election. “Our country has done it once again, despite the belief of naysayers, and I believe that Ghana will continue to get it right when it matters the most,” Mr. Mahama added.

The National Transition Team, as mandated by the Presidential Transition Act of 2012, is tasked with ensuring a smooth and peaceful transfer of power from one government to another. 

Mr. Mahama emphasised that the team must work in a spirit of cooperation, mutual respect, and openness. “We pray that the members of the Joint transitional team will work within the confines of this law to fulfil the wishes of the Ghanaian people, as expressed in the votes of 7th December 2024,” he said.

In his speech, Mahama introduced key members nominated to serve on the NDC side of the transition team, including former Chief of Staff Julius Deborah, party Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and former Ministers Fifi Kwetey and Valerie Sawyer. He also highlighted the expertise of other members, including Nana Ato Dadzi, a renowned UN consultant on transitions, and former Attorney-General Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong.

“We may belong to different political parties, but we all belong together. Let the spirit of our nationalism and patriotism prevail,” Mahama stated, calling for national unity during the transition process. He also urged the team to work expeditiously and within the given budget, especially considering the country’s economic challenges. “We must demonstrate to the world that despite the adversity we face, Ghana remains the beacon of democracy in Africa,” he said.

The National Transition Team, now officially inaugurated, will play a pivotal role in briefing the incoming government on key state matters, providing access to essential government data, and overseeing the formal inauguration of the President-elect.