“I have done my best, given my all and done so with the best of intentions for my God and country and I will allow history to be the judge of how well I have served the nation.”
These are the words that echoed in parliament on January 5, 2017 when then outgoing president John Dramani Mahama delivered his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) before leaving office.
He briefed Parliament on his achievements and shortcomings, after which he passed the baton of rulership to then-president-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Mahama likened governance to a relay marathon, saying, “Our country Ghana, this is why I stand here holding the baton of leadership, prepared to pass the baton of pride, goodwill, and determination. Cheer him [Akufo-Addo] on as he runs his portion of the relay for Ghana.”
However, it took 8 years or two terms of Akufo-Addo’s leadership for Ghanaians to resonate with Mahama’s metaphoric prophesy of impending doom for the country.
Ghana agrees with political analyst Prof. Ransford Gyampo, who stated that “The worst president of the fourth republic is Akufo–Addo. We had a dead goat in Mahama, but we had a ‘deader’ goat in this President”
Another citizen described Akufo-Addo as “The President who robbed God and stole from man”.
“In every thing that this Akufo–Addo and Bawumia government has done in the 8 years that it has ruled, it’s the condescension and tone-deafness that has really annoyed me. They just decide that, whatever it is, they’ll have their way and when we are tired, they’ll continue,” yet another sentiment.
After enduring what many Ghanaians have described as “gross insensitivity and worse governance” under Akufo-Addo, the citizens channeled their anger to the polls, kicking the NPP-led government out of power in a historic defeat.
Out of 16 regions, 14 went green in support of the National Democratic Congress and it’s presidential leader, John Dramani Mahama.
This is a sweeping endorsement and a thirst of his leadership to reset the country back onto a path of economic recovery, good governance and unity.
That is not to whitewash John Dramani Mahama, but to put extra burden on his shoulders not to repeat the mistakes of his past, and ensure a better today and tomorrow for the nation.
The next four years would be a determinant on whether the NDC will suffer similar fate as the NPP, as Ghanaians are now determined to get the country back on a great pedestal more than ever.