
Ghana’s former President John Mahama received final month’s elections by a landslide however he might be underneath monumental stress to satisfy the expectations of voters as he assumes workplace.
After greater than three years of financial distress, Ghanaians desire a fast repair.
Mahama promised to create jobs and sort out corruption however that might be simpler mentioned than accomplished.
He swept again to energy after eight years in opposition, operating what political analyst Nansata Yakubu described as a “masterclass” in campaigning.
Mahama defeated Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia by 56.6% of votes to 41.6% to notch up the most important margin of victory by a candidate in 24 years.
His get together, the Nationwide Democratic Congress (NDC), additionally managed to land an amazing majority in parliament, securing 183 seats out of 276.
They’re one seat wanting the two-thirds majority wanted to move legal guidelines and approve budgets and contracts with out the vote of MPs from the opposite facet of the political divide.
The results of one parliamentary seat is but to be declared due to discrepancies. 4 different seats are being challenged in courtroom by the NDC.
However voter turnout was decrease than within the 2020 election, particularly in a number of the heartlands of Bawumia’s New Patriotic Occasion (NPP), suggesting some individuals there – disillusioned with its efficiency in authorities – stayed at house.
As Mahama’s supporters celebrated his victory, Belinda Amuzu – a instructor within the northern metropolis of Tamale, a stronghold of Mahama – summed up their hopes.
“I am anticipating the brand new authorities to alter the economic system, in order that the hardship will come down. He must also prosecute corrupt officers in order that it will likely be a lesson to others,” she instructed the ORIONEWS.
“The hardship” has grow to be a standard phrase in Ghana for the reason that economic system hit rock-bottom in 2022, inflicting a cost-of-living disaster that shredded Bawumia’s popularity as an “financial whizz-kid” – and led to his defeat by the hands of Mahama.
Nevertheless, throughout his state of the nation tackle on Friday, outgoing President Nana Akufo Addo mentioned he was forsaking a recovered economic system.
“We’re handing over the nation with gross worldwide reserves of just about $8bn (£6.4bn). That is greater than the $6.2bn my administration inherited in 2017,” he mentioned.
The Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) has disbursed about $1.9bn to help the nation’s financial restoration since Ghana signed onto the programme in 2022.
Nevertheless, opposition MPs disagree with Akufo Addo’s evaluation.
“The individuals of Ghana have already given their verdict on the true state of the nation and that verdict was very clear. Financial hardship, big debt overhang, excessive youth unemployment, hopelessness and extra,” mentioned minority MP Emmanuel Armah Kofi Boah.
Ghanaian economist Prof Godfred Bokpin instructed the ORIONEWS the challenges dealing with the subsequent authorities had been big.
“What Ghana wants proper now’s credible management, lean authorities and effectivity in public service supply. With out that, there can’t be a future,” he mentioned.
Mahama has promised to convey down the dimensions of the cupboard from greater than 80 to round 60, however Prof Bokpin argued it needs to be even smaller whereas political analyst Dr Kwame Asah-Asante harassed the necessity for appointments to be on advantage slightly than loyalty.
Mahama was flanked by former Training Minister Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who is ready to grow to be Ghana’s first feminine vice-president.
Dr Yakubu mentioned her appointment was not considered one of “tokenism” and he or she was not somebody who might be “manipulated”.
“We’ve a implausible first feminine vice-president in Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang,” she instructed the ORIONEWS Deal with Africa podcast.

Mahama served his first four-year time period as president after profitable in 2012, however misplaced his re-election bid in 2016 as Nana Akufo-Addo rose to energy with Bawumia as his running-mate.
Dr Yakubu mentioned Mahama contested the 2016 election on his observe document in constructing roads, colleges and hospitals however voters rejected him, as their mantra then was: “We do not eat infrastructure.”
However, she mentioned, throughout the Covid pandemic voters got here to understand the infrastructure his authorities had constructed, particularly hospitals.
This – together with the truth that the economic system had plunged right into a deep disaster underneath the present authorities, forcing it to hunt a $3bn (£2.4bn) bailout from the IMF – led to Mahama being re-elected, Dr Yakubu added.
She instructed the ORIONEWS that Mahama would now be anticipated to fulfil his marketing campaign promise to create jobs with a purpose to convey down the unemployment price of just about 15%, and to ease the cost-of-living disaster by scrapping some taxes – or what Ghanaians name “nuisance taxes”.
Mahama has promised to make Ghana a “24-hour economic system” by way of the creation of night-time jobs in each the private and non-private sectors. He mentioned he would give companies tax incentives to remain open at night time and scale back electrical energy costs for them.
However his critics have doubts, declaring that Ghana plunged into its worst electrical energy disaster throughout his first time period and the ability cuts had been so unhealthy that Mahama joked on the time that he was referred to as “Mr Dumsor” – “dum” means “off” and “sor” means “on” within the native Twi language.
He has pledged to abolish a number of taxes – together with the much-criticised digital levy on cellular transactions and the one on the carbon emissions produced by petrol or diesel-powered autos.
Prof Bokpin mentioned he doubted the Mahama administration would be capable of fulfil its guarantees.
“They haven’t accomplished the cost-benefit evaluation. There isn’t any budgetary area to translate these guarantees into actuals,” he mentioned.
Prof Bokin believes that full financial restoration and progress will take a very long time.
He mentioned: ”For those who’re speaking about financial transformation and inclusive productiveness progress, you are taking a look at most likely 15 years and past of doing the appropriate issues conistently.
“In Ghana we’re unable to do the appropriate factor persistently for lengthy. We do the appropriate issues in between elections after which we mess up.”
However Mahama is assured he’ll show his critics mistaken, saying he intends to renegotiate the circumstances of the IMF mortgage so cash is freed up for “social intervention programmes” in a rustic the place 7.3 million individuals reside in poverty.
In an interview forward of the election, Mahama instructed the ORIONEWS the IMF wished “a sure steadiness” in authorities funds.
“For those who’re in a position to reduce expenditure, and also you’re in a position to enhance income and enhance non-tax income coming in, you can create a steadiness,” he mentioned.

Dr Asah-Asante mentioned Mahama’s expertise as former president would stand him in good stead to navigate Ghana by way of uneven waters.
“After all, he’s more likely to encounter difficulties, however he has what it takes to show issues round,” the analyst added.
Other than the economic system, corruption is among the greatest points dealing with Ghana however not everyone seems to be satisfied that Mahama will be capable of sort out the scourge.
Mahama’s earlier stint in authorities – as vice-president and president – was tormented by corruption allegations, though he has persistently denied any wrongdoing.
In 2020, a UK courtroom had discovered that aviation large Airbus had used bribes to safe contracts with Ghana for army planes between 2009 and 2015.
An investigation was then began in Ghana, however the Workplace of the Particular Prosecutor, in a choice introduced simply months earlier than the election, concluded there was no proof that Mahama was concerned in any corrupt actions himself.
The outgoing authorities has additionally been dogged by corruption allegations, together with over the acquisition of ambulance spare components at a value of $34.9m and a controversial nationwide cathedral undertaking by which $58m has been spent with none progress in constructing it.
Mahama promised his authorities would sort out corruption, and make sure that officers had been prosecuted for wrongdoing.
“We’re excited about particular courts,” he instructed the ORIONEWS.
Mahama has already arrange what he calls Operation Get better All Loot (Oral), geared toward investigating state funds and property allegedly stolen by outgoing authorities officers.
Dr Asah-Asante mentioned Mahama ought to demand monetary accountability from the outgoing authorities throughout a handover section in order that “no matter has gone mistaken, he’ll be capable of proper” as quickly as his authorities takes workplace subsequent month.
The analyst added that Mahama, who might be inaugurated on Tuesday when President Akufo-Addo steps down after his two phrases in workplace, had no alternative however to satisfy the expectations of Ghanaians – or else they’d “punish his authorities the way in which they’ve punished the NPP”.
Mahama succinctly acknowledged this in his victory speech, saying: “Expectations of Ghanaians are very excessive, and we can not afford to disappoint them.
“Our greatest days are usually not behind us; our greatest days are forward of us. Ahead ever – backwards by no means.”


