Akufo-Addo Lauds Liberia's Peaceful Transition After George Weah's Victory

President Nana Addo has commended the peaceful handing over of power and swearing in of Liberia's President, George Oppong Weah.

President Nana Addo indicated that Liberia's newly elected President's inauguration “is an extremely important development in Liberian history, and in West African history.”

“For us, in West Africa, I think the democratic consolidation that so many of us are seeking is taking place, and, that democracy is gradually being entrenched stronger and stronger in the body politic of our different states,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo made this comment when he interacted with journalists, after attending the swearing in ceremony of President George Oppong Weah, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, in Monrovia.

The swearing-in ceremony saw West African Presidents such as, President Allasane Ouattara of Cote d'Ivoire; Togolese President; Faure Gnassingbe, President of Niger; Mahamadou Issoufou, Senegalese President; Macky Sall, Guinean President; Alpha Conde, and the President of Mali; Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, among others.

President Nana Addo also urged Mr. Weah to build on the legacy bequeathed to him by his predecessor, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, saying “President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was preoccupied with establishing the basic things after the civil war. She's been able to that. Now it is a question of building on them to grow the Liberian economy, so that all of these young people who voted for him, who are out of work, can find work to do in the very near future.”

In his inaugural address, President George Oppong Weah pledged to build on the foundation his predecessor laid.

Ghana’s two former Presidents, John Dramani Mahama and Jerry John Rawlings, were among the dignitaries who attended the event.

Who is George Weah?
Mr. Weah, who was raised in a slum in Liberia's capital Monrovia, starred at top-flight European football clubs Paris St-Germain (PSG) and AC Milan, before ending his career in England with brief stays at Chelsea and Manchester City.

He is the only African footballer to have won both Fifa World Player of the Year and the prestigious Ballon D'Or.

He entered politics after his retirement from the game in 2002, and had served as a senator in Liberia's Parliament before becoming President.

His former club, PSG, congratulated him on Twitter.