Mahama Promises All-Inclusive Government

Twenty four hours after the Electoral Commission (EC) had declared him as President Elect, President John Dramani Mahama has made known his intention to form an all-inclusive government.

President Mahama, who was speaking during a meeting with the chairman of the African Union, President Yayi Boni of Benin in Accra yesterday, did not, however, specify whether he would appoint some of the opposition members to be part of his government.

According to him, every Ghanaian, irrespective of his political affiliation would be part of his new government, which would be formed after he had been sworn in, on January 7, 2013.

In the heat of the campaign, President Mahama indicated that one ought not to be a member of the ruling party before getting government contracts and that when elected as President his government would not pursue any policy of that sort.

Mahama told Yayi Boni, who was in the country to congratulate Ghanaians for organizing peaceful elections, said because technology could disappoint, the biometric verification machines used to run the elections had problems, which forced the voting to go deep into the night, in some of the constituencies.

He was grateful that despite all these challenges, Ghanaians stood in the long winding queue to cast their votes, which resulted in his election as President.

Addressing a victory rally later in the day, President Mahama dedicated his victory to the memory of the late President John Evan Atta Mills and the people of Ghana. According to him, all those who went to the polls might not have voted for him, but the bottom line is that Ghana is the winner in the election.

Mahama told the crowd that since the promulgation of the 1992 Republican Constitution, the country has organized six successful elections, which have all been peaceful. He noted that though tension was very high during last Saturday's elections, Ghanaians desisted from violence and he congratulated them for the peace they have demonstrated. President John Dramani Mamaha appealed to all the candidates who contested the election with him to join hands and to build the better Ghana agenda.

According to him, the work ahead of the country goes beyond political rivalry, hence the need to forget about the past and forge ahead to build a prosperous nation. To him, the votes that brought him to power should not be seen as partisan, but an achievement of which all Ghanaians should be proud.

'It is not just the victory of one man who has been elected as President. It is a victory that belongs to the good people of Ghana…Every time we empower ourselves to play an active role in our democracy, it is a victory for all. We should congratulate ourselves for demonstrating political maturity and a clear commitment to the path of peace,' he said.

Meanwhile, Richard Attenkah reports from the Tema Metropolis that there was wild jubilation throughout the constituencies in the Metropolis, as soon as chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr. Afari Djan announced the outcome of last Friday's general elections.

President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had 50.7% as against the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) candidate, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, who had 47.74%, according to Dr. Afari Djan.

Thousands of the NDC supporters in the constituencies poured onto the major streets singing and dancing.

Majority of these supporters were spotted in NDC colours, T-shirts, caps and other party paraphernalia, while trying to make fun of their NPP supporters, who on the other hand had become speechless. Even at the time of going to press last Monday evening, some of the supporters were still in jubilant mood.

Most of the supporters who spoke to this reporter were of the opinion that the NDC victory was a sweet one and that they would enjoy it to the fullest. While criss-crossing the length and breadth of the above constituencies, The Chronicle caught up with the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, Hon Alfred Agbesi, who had retained his seat.

He called on all and sundry in the Ashaiman area to come together as one people to develop the constituency as it belongs to all of them. He extended a hand of friendship to Mr. Seji Saji Amedonu, the NPP candidate and Mr. Tony Afenyo, an NDC member, who contested as an independent candidate to join hands with him to develop the Ashaiman constituency.

He hinted that he harbours no grudge against any of them, especially Mr. Tony Afenyo, who he considers as his younger brother, saying his hands are wide open to welcome him back home if he decides to return.

'Now that the election has come to an end, and a winner declared, I want to appeal to all of them to put their differences behind them and hop aboard for the benefit of Ashaiman,' Hon Agbesi noted.

Hon Agbesi said he knew he was going to retain his seat and, therefore, not surprised about the outcome of the election.

He assured residents of the constituency that the NDC will ensure that it continues all the projects it started in the Ashaiman Municipality and bring them to completion on time.