Prez Mahama: I will serve Ghana selflessly.

President John Dramani Mahama on Sunday promised to serve Ghana selflessly to promote the goals of unity, prosperity and development.

He said Ghana had the responsibility of showcasing unity and good governance for other African countries and his administration would uphold that responsibility for the benefit of the continent.
"Nobody should doubt it, Ghana had in the past led the African continent and will again lead our beautiful continent in so many other things, including democracy and good governance."

President Mahama said this when he joined the Action Chapel International Church to thank God for coming out victorious in the just ended election petition at the Supreme Court on August 29.

The programme was also attended by the First Lady, Lordina Mahama, ministers of State, members of Parliament, the National Democratic Congress Party leadership and party supporters from all over the country.

President Mahama said although countries such as Kenya, Benin, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe had post-election petitions, the political searchlight had been on Ghana, because of her pioneering role and political performance over the years.

The President said: "Ghana has set certain standards as a model of democracy in Africa and it will have been very big news if we had behaved differently from the previous years." He pledged to create a good environment for investments and prosperity, the goals he admitted could only be achieved through unity and collaborations from other stakeholders. President Mahama also promised to strengthen the institutions, adding that, "the Judiciary and the Electoral Commission have been tested and other institutions need to guard themselves against similar test cases in the course of our democracy."

he President commended the media, religious bodies and traditional leaders for their various roles that ensured peace and unity after the election petition’s verdict on August, 29, this year. Humorously, President Mahama said, the roles they played ensured that even armed robbers went on vacation on the day the election petition verdict was given.

Arch-Bishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, General Overseer of the Action Chapel International, appealed to President Mahama to use his victory to build institutions that would unite all Ghanaians and create the right environment for the general development of the country.

He said as the President his actions should not be skewed towards only his party but prosperity for all Ghanaians by dissuading personal ambitions of his executive members and the party leadership. "I want you to do something different from others, in a way that even members of the New Patriotic Party would be happy to receive you and give good testimonies about you," he added.

Referring to the performance of former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, who served his country selflessly after coming out of prison, Archbishop Duncan-Williams advised President Mahama not to use his victory for vengeance and retaliations, but for building blocks that would create prosperity and meaningful jobs for all Ghanaians.

He added: "Mr President, you have the opportunity to unite and create wealth for this country, and I know that with the power of God, you will do it and do it very well."

The Archbishop commended Nana Addo Akuffo Addo, leader of the NPP, for conceding and congratulating President Mahama, a demonstration, he indicated depicted him a true statesman of Ghana.

President Mahama earlier on attended church service at the Ring way Estates Assemblies of God Church, where he worships.

GNA