President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was yesterday declared the President-elect of Ghana by the Electoral Commission in what can be described as one of the keenly fought elections in the fourth republic.
Addressing the nation shortly after the declaration, President Akufo-Addo assured Ghanaians that he was going to work harder, with the confidence reposed in him by Ghanaians.
“Just as I have been doing since January 2017, I give you my word, that I will continue to work very hard to build the prosperous and progressive Ghana for which we yearn,” he said.
He added: “I am determined to do all in my power to accomplish the task of this new mandate and therefore justify the confidence reposed in me.”
Come together
President Akufo-Addo said with the elections over, there is the need for all Ghanaians to come together to continue building the country.
“The Ghanaian people, through the results, have made it loud and clear that the two parties, the NPP and NDC, must work together, especially in Parliament, for the good of the country,” he said.
The President added that his victory was an endorsement of the policies and programmes that had ben put in place by the NPP government since the party assumed power in 2017.
He called on Ghanaians, irrespective of their political affiliation, “to unite, join hands, stand shoulder to shoulder and work hard to place Ghana where it deserves to be.”
Contenders
The President further disclosed that some of the contenders in the Presidential race had called to congratulate him.
The presidential candidate of the Ghana Consolidated Peoples Party, Dr Henry Herbert Lartey, called the President on Tuesday to concede defeat and to congratulate him on his projected victory at the polls.
The flagbearer of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Mr Christian Kwabena Andrews, known also as “Osofo Kyiri Abosom”, also called the President yesterday to wish him well on his electoral victory.
The candidate of the Liberal Party of Ghana, Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo, also called at the Nima residence of President Akufo-Addo to acknowledge his victory.
Giving thanks to God for the victory, the President described the results as incontestable, adding that right from the onset of the NPP’s campaign, the party was confident it would be given another four more years in office based on the considerable work it had done.
Immediate task
President Akufo-Addo said his immediate task will be to continue the process of reversing the effects of Covid-19 on the economy and put the nation on full economic recovery and development.
“Before the pandemic struck, Ghana in recent years was one of the fastest growing economies in the world. I give you my word, we will regain that reputation,” he assured.
“Fellow Ghanaians, I say a big ayekoo to the Chairperson, Deputy Chairpersons, Commissioners, directors, returning officers, electoral officers, and agents of our respective political parties for delivering one of the best elections, if not the best ever witnessed in our history,” the President said.
Covid-19
He said the Electoral Commission, even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, had done a yeoman’s job, and urged them to continue on that path.
While commending Ghanaians for conducting themselves well in the elections, the President also praised them for adhering to the safety protocols of the Covid-19.
He also commended the security services for ensuring law and order.
To the media, he praised them for providing an extensive coverage before, during and after the elections.