By Ayomide Otitoju
John Mahama was sworn in as Ghana’s new president on January 7, 2025, in a ceremony attended by a host of global leaders. Mahama, who previously served as president from 2012 to 2017, succeeded Nana Akufo-Ado, marking a return to office after a seven-year absence.
The inauguration also saw the historic swearing-in of Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as Ghana’s first female vice president.
Addressing the jubilant crowd at Accra’s Black Star Square, Mahama, dressed in the nation’s traditional attire, declared, “Today should mark the opportunity to reset our country.” The celebration was filled with energy as Ghanaians waved flags, chanted, and danced to the rhythmic beats of drums and the sound of vuvuzelas.
Among the dignitaries present were Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Kenyan President William Ruto, President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and several other African leaders, including the presidents of Burkina Faso, Gabon, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
Mahama’s victory came in December 2024 when he won 50% of the vote, defeating the then-vice president Mahamudu Bawumia of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) by a margin of 1.7 million votes. Bawumia had conceded defeat shortly after the results were announced.
“I respect the will of the people of Ghana, who have voted for change,” Mahama said in a press conference following his victory.
The economy was a key issue in the election, with Ghana struggling through an economic crisis, including a debt default and an IMF bailout. Inflation had surged to 50% in late 2022, although it has since fallen to 23%. Mahama’s return was driven by hopes for economic recovery and a fresh direction for the country.
Ghana, with a population of 33 million, is known for its political stability and has alternated power between the NPP and Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) since 1992. As Africa’s leading gold exporter and the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, the country holds significant economic influence on the continent.
