President John Dramani Mahama reiterated his dedication to revitalizing Ghana and advancing good governance and accountability during a meeting with the Ghanaian community in Addis Ababa on Sunday evening at the residence of the Ghanaian Ambassador to Ethiopia.
This gathering was part of his visit to Ethiopia for the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
The evening kicked off with meaningful speeches and smoothly transitioned into a lively buffet dinner, with the aroma of exotic spices filling the air and enticing everyone to enjoy the delicious spread of Ghanaian dishes.
President Mahama spoke to the Ghanaian community, highlighting the key tasks ahead for the government, including constitutional amendments, holding past and present government officials accountable, and stabilizing the economy.
He provided a frank assessment of Ghana’s economic challenges, acknowledging that the country has been facing a deep economic crisis, with volatile macroeconomic indicators.
“We have been going through a severe economic crisis with very unstable macroeconomic indicators,” he said.
Ghana’s economic difficulties have been exacerbated by a debt crisis, with President Mahama pointing out that, under the previous administration, the country was compelled to acknowledge to the international community its inability to meet its debt obligations.
“For the first time in recent memory, we had to tell the rest of the world that we can’t pay our debt,” he said.
To address this risk, President Mahama stated that the government intends to revive the Sinking Fund to prevent future defaults.
However, he noted that the government’s fiscal space remains extremely tight, with rising expectations from citizens and limited resources to fulfill them.
One of the major challenges facing the administration is the legacy of incomplete projects left by the previous government, including over 80 hospitals that need more than $1 billion to be completed.
On the topic of accountability, President Mahama stated that while the government will pursue corrupt officials from the previous administration, his appointees will also be held responsible for their actions and stewardship.
“Those of us in leadership must lead by example, be prepared to be held accountable for taking the public trust” President Mahama said.
President Mahama said while people are excited about receiving appointments, they all must be reminded that, “The green letter comes with a lot of responsibilities.”
