Ghana welcomes new President amid old chaos

On January 7, Mr. John Dramani Mahama will be officially sworn in as President of Ghana for a second term, shouldering a new mission to face familiar challenges in the West African country such as corruption, high unemployment, soaring inflation and public discontent.

Mr. John Dramani Mahama was sworn in as President of Ghana in 2012. (Source: Reuters)

The 66-year-old opposition leader won a landslide victory in the December 7, 2024 presidential election, marking his return to politics in Ghana, the world's second-largest cocoa producer.

Mr Mahama will succeed Nana Akufo-Addo, who left office after two terms, continuing Ghana's democratic tradition in a region that has been dominated by military coups and jihadist insurgencies.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, dealing with the cost of living crisis and the shock of public debt default, Ghana's economy is gradually recovering and regaining growth momentum.

However, the pressure is on the new President to quickly implement his election promises: reducing youth unemployment and eradicating deep-rooted corruption. These are issues that are increasingly shaking confidence in Ghana's political system.

"Ghanaians are increasingly impatient with our democracy. People do their duty by voting, but wonder what they get out of this democracy," said Godfred Bokpin, a finance professor at the University of Ghana.

Mahama assumed the presidency in 2012, but his first term was marred by power shortages, macroeconomic instability and a series of allegations of political corruption.

During this term, in addition to major investment commitments in agriculture and infrastructure, Mr. Mahama also pledged to prioritize fighting corruption.

Curbing corruption will help restore public confidence, but inflation and exchange rate challenges also need to be addressed immediately, according to Professor Godfred Bokpin. Inflation in the West African country has increased for three consecutive months, reaching 23.0% in November 2024 due to sharp increases in food prices.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ghana-don-chao-tong-thong-moi-giua-nhung-ngon-ngang-cu-299975.html