Connect with us

Headline

Opinion:”My Plans For Nigeria”- Atiku Speaks At Island Club, Lagos

Published

6 years ago

on

Being an Address Delivered by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, Vice President of Nigeria 1999-2007 and Presidential flag bearer of the People’s Democratic Party -PDP on Wednesday, 30th January 2019

I thank the Lagos Island Club for giving me this platform to speak to such a distinguished audience and on such a germane issue. I specifically want to thank you for giving me the liberty to suggest a topic for today’s discourse. I had no hesitation seizing this great opportunity to speak to you on my vision for this great country.

However before I delve into this subject I need to say a few words on a fact that many of you already know: our democracy is in peril.

After unsuccessfully abusing the instruments of state to remove the leadership of the legislature, President Muhammadu Buhari has turned his sights on the judiciary.

The action of unilaterally suspending the Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Buhari is unconstitutional. The Constitution provides laid down rules for the suspension or removal of the CJN and this has not been followed.  This is a grave attack on our constitution and the people of our country.  As someone who has vigorously defended our constitution over a number of decades you can be rest assured that I will to do all in my power to ensure the matter is resolved in accordance with our constitution.   For a key part of my vision for Nigeria is respect for the rule of law, because without it you can have no society.

My preference for this topic is informed by one major consideration. It has always been my view that those who aspire to govern Nigeria must begin to unveil their policy priorities and their strategies for dealing with a plethora of local and national issues from the mundane to the most complex. Indeed, it is time for citizens to demand as a matter of right, from people aspiring to lead them, a plan on what they want to accomplish and how. Political slogans should not take the place of development plans and propaganda is a poor substitute for proper socio-economic and political agenda.

As a matter of fact, it has now been universally established that the ability to articulate a possible future status, whether for a private organization or a nation state, has been a vital component of successful leadership. We are all awed by the strategic prowess of Steve Jobs of Apple, Bill Gates of Microsoft or the Maverick Elon Reeve Musk of Tesla Inc.

Mr. Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, Dr. Mahathir of Malaysia and Xi Jinping of the Peoples Republic of China, are just a few of illustrious ‘CEOs’ of nations because they were visionary and had a positive notion of development.

The lesson we all learn from thesuccess stories of countries such as South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and People’s Republic of China is that economic development does not happen by accident. Their experience teaches that to be successful, economic reforms require a progressive and forward-looking government that has the capacity to craft a coherent vision and to develop coherent policies that will actualize its vision.

I have faith in the capacity of Nigeria to make a quantum leap from third world to first that Singapore, under Lee Kuan Yew, or Malaysia under Dr. Mahathir, made. We have the human and material resources required to make the leap and in fact, many of our nationals have helped other nations make that transition.

However, I also have reasons to worry about the current status and future prospects of our great country as neither our economy nor our society is working for our people.

Sadly, in the last four years, Nigerians have witnessed a deterioration of all aspects of basic human development as our country suffered avoidable social and economic decline. The absence of coherent and comprehensive economic policy has robbed the economy of its capacity to attract investment, to support the growth of small businesses and absorb a fast-growing labour force. Africa’s largest economy, with GDP of US$450 billion, remains paradoxically, ‘one of the poorest and most unequal countries’ in the world. According to the UN last year Nigeria overtook India, a country with 6 times our population, as the world capital for people living in extreme poverty.

Under the present Administration our people are not working.

Unemployment has unfortunately been our only boom industry with over 13 million people joining the ranks of people without a job, which now totals 21 million. If people do not have a job they struggle to feed their families which is why 0ver 100 million of our people cannot afford one decent meal a day.

What is also of cause for concern is that the majority of the unemployed are young men and women, who lack not only the means to survive but any hope for the future.

On the political front, our unity as a nation has been fatally bruised.Social cohesion is being eroded, democratic consolidation being undermined, and national unity and security threatened by ethno-religious tensions, agitations, restiveness and disputes over titles and entitlements.

Over the years, Nigeria haspromoted, tolerated and indeed celebrated a defective political structure. Our states and local governments are too weak to meet their constitutional responsibilities. Consequently, the Federal Government has succeeded in emasculating them and taking away those responsibilities and, along with these, the resources which belong to them.

The structure of our country is not working.

If we are to develop into a United, Secure and Prosperous nation we must be bold enough to stitch all the structural faults lines that have arrested our development as a nation.  We must adopt a new economic management model and a new political structure that will cure all the federating units of theiraddiction to oil revenues. We must re-structure the polity and the economy.

So having outlined the challenges we face, you may quite rightly ask me: what is my vision to get Nigeria working again?

My Vision for Nigeria has been encapsulated in the #TheAtikuPlan which I launched on the 19th of November 2018. As I demonstrated in the #TheAtikuPlan, Nigeria does not need a complex vision. All we need, and will assiduously work to achieve, is a United, Secure and Prosperous nation that will work for all Nigerians irrespective of their gender, age, religious beliefs, ethnic identity, local government, state or geo-political zone.

Nigerian citizens want a Better Tomorrow.

We envision a New Nigeria that will have, as a minimum, seven basic features.

1.     An indivisible, indissoluble, ethnically diverse but strong country that protects its citizens and secures their socio-economic benefits.

2.   A modern, dynamic and competitive economy that is capable of taking its rightful place among the top 20 economies of the world. Nigeria has the potential to double its GDP by 2025.

3.   A strong economy that iscapable of providing in the next 5 years, a minimum 3 million job opportunities annually, reducing poverty rates to below 20% and significantly closing the income inequality gaps.

4.   A Nigeria that guarantees citizens’ access to economic opportunities and makes the basic needs of life, including health, education, electricity, water and housing, readily available and affordable for everyone.

5.    Anew political structure that guarantees freedoms and ensures accountability at all levels of government. Tomorrow’s polity shall reinforce the country’s concept of true Federalism by conceding unfettered autonomy to the subordinating units.

6.   A Nigeria that promotes the politics of inclusiveness and minimizes citizens’ frustration and alienation and completely eliminates the compulsion to take up arms against the society or fellow countrymen.

7.    A country that recognizes the central place of the rule of law and ensures the supremacy of law over all persons and authorities. The Nigerian constitution will be the anchor on which the independence of the judiciary, personal liberty and democratic and other fundamental rights rest.

So that is all very well and good, I hear you say, but what will I do to actualize my Vision?

Ladies and Gentlemen, as you are aware, I have been in politics for a number of decades and have also been in the private sector running my own businesses that employ tens of thousands of Nigerians. Both experiences have afforded me the  ability to think about the policies my team and I will enact that will have the benefit of practical application to create an environment conducive to economic growth and job creation.

Given your time, here are just 10 examples of the sort of and pragmatic policies we plan to enact immediately should I be so fortunate so to be chosen by the Nigerian people to lead them:

1.      We will restore investor confidence on the Nigerian economy.

We all know that over the last four years, the actions or inactions of the Federal Government, have resulted in a significant drop in investor confidence on the Nigerian economy. As a consequence, there has been significant decline in capital importation since the regime came into power in 2015.

Today, Ghana – a country with just 14% of our population – attracts more FDI than Nigeria. In order to reverse the trend, our economic policies will be more coherent, consistent and therefore, more predictable by the business community. Nothing could be more threatening to investment flows than an environment that is full of policy flip-flops.

2.    We will support the private sector by undertaking reforms to unleash its growth potential and to play a key role in the economy.

#TheAtikuPlan recognizes the private sector as the engine of growth of our economy.  A strong, productive and pro-growth private sector is needed to create wealth, generate employment opportunities and hBeing an Address Delivered by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, Vice President of Nigeria 1999-2007 and Presidential flag bearer of the People’s Democratic Party -PDP on Wednesday, 30th January 2019

I thank the Lagos Island Club for giving me this platform to speak to such a distinguished audience and on such a germane issue. I specifically want to thank you for giving me the liberty to suggest a topic for today’s discourse. I had no hesitation seizing this great opportunity to speak to you on my vision for this great country.

However before I delve into this subject I need to say a few words on a fact that many of you already know: our democracy is in peril.

After unsuccessfully abusing the instruments of state to remove the leadership of the legislature, President Muhammadu Buhari has turned his sights on the judiciary.

The action of unilaterally suspending the Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Buhari is unconstitutional. The Constitution provides laid down rules for the suspension or removal of the CJN and this has not been followed.  This is a grave attack on our constitution and the people of our country.  As someone who has vigorously defended our constitution over a number of decades you can be rest assured that I will to do all in my power to ensure the matter is resolved in accordance with our constitution.   For a key part of my vision for Nigeria is respect for the rule of law, because without it you can have no society.

My preference for this topic is informed by one major consideration. It has always been my view that those who aspire to govern Nigeria must begin to unveil their policy priorities and their strategies for dealing with a plethora of local and national issues from the mundane to the most complex. Indeed, it is time for citizens to demand as a matter of right, from people aspiring to lead them, a plan on what they want to accomplish and how. Political slogans should not take the place of development plans and propaganda is a poor substitute for proper socio-economic and political agenda.

As a matter of fact, it has now been universally established that the ability to articulate a possible future status, whether for a private organization or a nation state, has been a vital component of successful leadership. We are all awed by the strategic prowess of Steve Jobs of Apple, Bill Gates of Microsoft or the Maverick Elon Reeve Musk of Tesla Inc.

Mr. Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, Dr. Mahathir of Malaysia and Xi Jinping of the Peoples Republic of China, are just a few of illustrious ‘CEOs’ of nations because they were visionary and had a positive notion of development.

The lesson we all learn from thesuccess stories of countries such as South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and People’s Republic of China is that economic development does not happen by accident. Their experience teaches that to be successful, economic reforms require a progressive and forward-looking government that has the capacity to craft a coherent vision and to develop coherent policies that will actualize its vision.

I have faith in the capacity of Nigeria to make a quantum leap from third world to first that Singapore, under Lee Kuan Yew, or Malaysia under Dr. Mahathir, made. We have the human and material resources required to make the leap and in fact, many of our nationals have helped other nations make that transition.

However, I also have reasons to worry about the current status and future prospects of our great country as neither our economy nor our society is working for our people.

Sadly, in the last four years, Nigerians have witnessed a deterioration of all aspects of basic human development as our country suffered avoidable social and economic decline. The absence of coherent and comprehensive economic policy has robbed the economy of its capacity to attract investment, to support the growth of small businesses and absorb a fast-growing labour force. Africa’s largest economy, with GDP of US$450 billion, remains paradoxically, ‘one of the poorest and most unequal countries’ in the world. According to the UN last year Nigeria overtook India, a country with 6 times our population, as the world capital for people living in extreme poverty.

Under the present Administration our people are not working.

Unemployment has unfortunately been our only boom industry with over 13 million people joining the ranks of people without a job, which now totals 21 million. If people do not have a job they struggle to feed their families which is why 0ver 100 million of our people cannot afford one decent meal a day.

What is also of cause for concern is that the majority of the unemployed are young men and women, who lack not only the means to survive but any hope for the future.

On the political front, our unity as a nation has been fatally bruised.Social cohesion is being eroded, democratic consolidation being undermined, and national unity and security threatened by ethno-religious tensions, agitations, restiveness and disputes over titles and entitlements.

Over the years, Nigeria haspromoted, tolerated and indeed celebrated a defective political structure. Our states and local governments are too weak to meet their constitutional responsibilities. Consequently, the Federal Government has succeeded in emasculating them and taking away those responsibilities and, along with these, the resources which belong to them.

The structure of our country is not working.

If we are to develop into a United, Secure and Prosperous nation we must be bold enough to stitch all the structural faults lines that have arrested our development as a nation.  We must adopt a new economic management model and a new political structure that will cure all the federating units of theiraddiction to oil revenues. We must re-structure the polity and the economy.

So having outlined the challenges we face, you may quite rightly ask me: what is my vision to get Nigeria working again?

My Vision for Nigeria has been encapsulated in the #TheAtikuPlan which I launched on the 19th of November 2018. As I demonstrated in the #TheAtikuPlan, Nigeria does not need a complex vision. All we need, and will assiduously work to achieve, is a United, Secure and Prosperous nation that will work for all Nigerians irrespective of their gender, age, religious beliefs, ethnic identity, local government, state or geo-political zone.

Nigerian citizens want a Better Tomorrow.

We envision a New Nigeria that will have, as a minimum, seven basic features.

1.     An indivisible, indissoluble, ethnically diverse but strong country that protects its citizens and secures their socio-economic benefits.

2.   A modern, dynamic and competitive economy that is capable of taking its rightful place among the top 20 economies of the world. Nigeria has the potential to double its GDP by 2025.

3.   A strong economy that iscapable of providing in the next 5 years, a minimum 3 million job opportunities annually, reducing poverty rates to below 20% and significantly closing the income inequality gaps.

4.   A Nigeria that guarantees citizens’ access to economic opportunities and makes the basic needs of life, including health, education, electricity, water and housing, readily available and affordable for everyone.

5.    Anew political structure that guarantees freedoms and ensures accountability at all levels of government. Tomorrow’s polity shall reinforce the country’s concept of true Federalism by conceding unfettered autonomy to the subordinating units.

6.   A Nigeria that promotes the politics of inclusiveness and minimizes citizens’ frustration and alienation and completely eliminates the compulsion to take up arms against the society or fellow countrymen.

7.    A country that recognizes the central place of the rule of law and ensures the supremacy of law over all persons and authorities. The Nigerian constitution will be the anchor on which the independence of the judiciary, personal liberty and democratic and other fundamental rights rest.

So that is all very well and good, I hear you say, but what will I do to actualize my Vision?

Ladies and Gentlemen, as you are aware, I have been in politics for a number of decades and have also been in the private sector running my own businesses that employ tens of thousands of Nigerians. Both experiences have afforded me the  ability to think about the policies my team and I will enact that will have the benefit of practical application to create an environment conducive to economic growth and job creation.

Given your time, here are just 10 examples of the sort of and pragmatic policies we plan to enact immediately should I be so fortunate so to be chosen by the Nigerian people to lead them:

1.      We will restore investor confidence on the Nigerian economy.

We all know that over the last four years, the actions or inactions of the Federal Government, have resulted in a significant drop in investor confidence on the Nigerian economy. As a consequence, there has been significant decline in capital importation since the regime came into power in 2015.

Today, Ghana – a country with just 14% of our population – attracts more FDI than Nigeria. In order to reverse the trend, our economic policies will be more coherent, consistent and therefore, more predictable by the business community. Nothing could be more threatening to investment flows than an environment that is full of policy flip-flops.

2.    We will support the private sector by undertaking reforms to unleash its growth potential and to play a key role in the economy.

#TheAtikuPlan recognizes the private sector as the engine of growth of our economy.  A strong, productive and pro-growth private sector is needed to create wealth, generate employment opportunities and help fight poverty.  We pledge to improve government consultations with the private sector in policy design and policy implementation. We will work with the Organized Private Sector to identify ways to reduce the cost of borrowing, tackle incidences of multiple taxation and improve availability of foreign exchange for legitimate production input purchases.

3.    We will liberalise the economic space and privatise all ailing enterprises. In particular, the #TheAtikuPlan will undertake a de-regulation of the downstream sector of the economy, review the PIB and privatise all four State refineries that operate at 10% of their installed capacities.. We shall channel the proceeds from the privatisation into a special fund for the development of education and health.

4.    We will assist the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to grow bigger and to be more productive.As we all know, small businesses offer the greatest opportunities for achieving inclusive pro-poor growth, through increased self-employment.  Our focus shall be on improving their access to affordable, long term funds, provision of critical infrastructure as well as adequate training for their workforce to improve productive capacity.

5.     We will prioritize  Human Capital Development. Our philosophy is that people are the fundamental reason for economic growth. Accordingly, we will increase investments in the human development sub-sectors especially education and health by committing 25% of the budget to education and 15% to health under a collaborative process and within the 3G partnership;

6.    We will create jobs by growing the economy and promoting innovative flagship job creation programmes such as:  The National Open Apprenticeship Programme through which we shall enhance the capacity of Master-Crafts men and women to train 1,000,000 apprentices every year.  Our National Innovation Fund and SME Venture Capital Fund initiatives will provide stable and sustainable long-term support to aspiring entrepreneurs.

7.     We will create an Economic Stimulus Fund with an initial investment capacity of approximately US$25 billion to support private sector investments in infrastructure.Power sector reform will be a critical policy priority. Our vision is to accelerate investment to double our infrastructure stock to approximately 50% of GDP by 2025 and 70% by 2030.  Re-building infrastructure and reducing infrastructure deficit will enhance the carrying capacity of the economy and unleash growth and wealth creation.

8.     We will improve liquidity by undertaking  fiscal restructuring and improving the management of our fiscal resources by:

a.    Improving spending efficiency by reducing the share of recurrent expenditure and increasing the share of capital expenditure in budget. Recurrent expenditure over the medium term should not exceed 45% of budget.

b.    Raising additional revenue by blocking leakages from exchange rate adjustment. The official rate on which the 2019 budget is based US$/N305 with a parallel market rate of approximately US$/365. FGN will appropriate the premium in excess of N60/US$

c.     Reviewing subsidy payments on PMS. The Federal Government has set aside billions of Naira for subsidy payment in the 2019 budget.  This will instead go into the funding of education and health.

9. We will build strong and efficient service delivery institutions for more effective co-ordination of government policies and for effective support to the development of a dynamic and internationally competitive private sector. We will re-position the public sector to become more disciplined and performance-oriented.

10. We shall, through constitutional means, achieve a new political structure that guarantees freedoms and ensure government accountability at all levels. Our political reform shall reinforce the country’s concept of true Federalism by conceding unfettered autonomy to the subordinating units (States and Local Governments);

So, in conclusion:

Since the return of the country to democratic governance in 1999, I cannot think of a more important election than the one we face in just over two weeks, given our daunting development challenges. The opportunity to change the course of history and rebuild the country begins on February 16th when Nigerians will exercise their sacred duty to elect their President and other political leaders.   Nigerians must reject the status quo and bring in a leader who has a history of economic reform and political transformation.

Nigeria needs a leader who shares its hopes and aspirations, who understands the complexities of the development process and who has the capacity to articulate an acceptable notion of development.

It requires strong commitment, bold initiatives, and a discernible shift from the mistakes of the past, to lift Nigeria from the abyss, and make its people happier, healthier, and wealthier.

So I appeal to you, as well as the entire nation, to go out and vote on February 16thso together we can Get Nigeria Working Again.

elp fight poverty.  We pledge to improve government consultations with the private sector in policy design and policy implementation. We will work with the Organized Private Sector to identify ways to reduce the cost of borrowing, tackle incidences of multiple taxation and improve availability of foreign exchange for legitimate production input purchases.

3.    We will liberalise the economic space and privatise all ailing enterprises. In particular, the #TheAtikuPlan will undertake a de-regulation of the downstream sector of the economy, review the PIB and privatise all four State refineries that operate at 10% of their installed capacities.. We shall channel the proceeds from the privatisation into a special fund for the development of education and health.

4.    We will assist the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to grow bigger and to be more productive.As we all know, small businesses offer the greatest opportunities for achieving inclusive pro-poor growth, through increased self-employment.  Our focus shall be on improving their access to affordable, long term funds, provision of critical infrastructure as well as adequate training for their workforce to improve productive capacity.

5.     We will prioritize  Human Capital Development. Our philosophy is that people are the fundamental reason for economic growth. Accordingly, we will increase investments in the human development sub-sectors especially education and health by committing 25% of the budget to education and 15% to health under a collaborative process and within the 3G partnership;

6.    We will create jobs by growing the economy and promoting innovative flagship job creation programmes such as:  The National Open Apprenticeship Programme through which we shall enhance the capacity of Master-Crafts men and women to train 1,000,000 apprentices every year.  Our National Innovation Fund and SME Venture Capital Fund initiatives will provide stable and sustainable long-term support to aspiring entrepreneurs.

7.     We will create an Economic Stimulus Fund with an initial investment capacity of approximately US$25 billion to support private sector investments in infrastructure.Power sector reform will be a critical policy priority. Our vision is to accelerate investment to double our infrastructure stock to approximately 50% of GDP by 2025 and 70% by 2030.  Re-building infrastructure and reducing infrastructure deficit will enhance the carrying capacity of the economy and unleash growth and wealth creation.

8.     We will improve liquidity by undertaking  fiscal restructuring and improving the management of our fiscal resources by:

a.    Improving spending efficiency by reducing the share of recurrent expenditure and increasing the share of capital expenditure in budget. Recurrent expenditure over the medium term should not exceed 45% of budget.

b.    Raising additional revenue by blocking leakages from exchange rate adjustment. The official rate on which the 2019 budget is based US$/N305 with a parallel market rate of approximately US$/365. FGN will appropriate the premium in excess of N60/US$

c.     Reviewing subsidy payments on PMS. The Federal Government has set aside billions of Naira for subsidy payment in the 2019 budget.  This will instead go into the funding of education and health.

9. We will build strong and efficient service delivery institutions for more effective co-ordination of government policies and for effective support to the development of a dynamic and internationally competitive private sector. We will re-position the public sector to become more disciplined and performance-oriented.

10. We shall, through constitutional means, achieve a new political structure that guarantees freedoms and ensure government accountability at all levels. Our political reform shall reinforce the country’s concept of true Federalism by conceding unfettered autonomy to the subordinating units (States and Local Governments);

So, in conclusion:

Since the return of the country to democratic governance in 1999, I cannot think of a more important election than the one we face in just over two weeks, given our daunting development challenges. The opportunity to change the course of history and rebuild the country begins on February 16th when Nigerians will exercise their sacred duty to elect their President and other political leaders.   Nigerians must reject the status quo and bring in a leader who has a history of economic reform and political transformation.

Nigeria needs a leader who shares its hopes and aspirations, who understands the complexities of the development process and who has the capacity to articulate an acceptable notion of development.

It requires strong commitment, bold initiatives, and a discernible shift from the mistakes of the past, to lift Nigeria from the abyss, and make its people happier, healthier, and wealthier.

So I appeal to you, as well as the entire nation, to go out and vote on February 16thso together we can Get Nigeria Working Again.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Headline

Gov Eno’s Verification Exercise Uncovers 2000 Ghost Workers in Civil Service – NLC

Published

3 hours ago

on

January 15, 2025

By

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC , Akwa Ibom State chapter has applauded Gov Umo Eno over the physical verification exercise of Civil Servants, adding that over 2,000 ghost workers have so far been discovered in the process.

Secretary of the NLC in the State, Comrade Alpha Marshall made the disclosure on Tuesday, during a telephone interview on XL106.9FM’s Super Breakfast Show, “The Talk” in Uyo.

According to Comrade Marshall, a little over 51, 700 Civil servants have so far been verified against the 55,120 workers that were available on record before the verification exercise.

Speaking further, the NLC Secretary who reiterated that the verification process was seamless and transparent, said the report of the exercise is ready for submission to the Governor.

On Civil servants yet to be verified, the NLC Secretary who disclosed that plans are underway to reschedule a verification exercise for workers whose issues bothered on mismatched details on National Identification Number, NIN, maintained that the rescheduled exercise will not stop the committee from submitting the report to the Governor.

While describing the Governor Eno as a promise keeper, Comrade Marshall expressed optimism that once the report is reviewed by the Governor, civil servants will be paid the new minimum wage.

It would be recalled that Governor Eno in his avowed commitment to the welfare of civil servants in the State, had promised to pay the N80,000 minimum wage to all public workers immediately after completion of physical verification exercise, with effect from November last year.

Continue Reading

Headline

The Return of Mr 24Hour Economy – Juicy Details of John Mahama’s Presidential Inauguration

Published

2 days ago

on

January 13, 2025

By

By Eric Elezuo

It was a carnival of some sort as the proverbial “the whole world” on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, trooped out in their numbers to the Black Star Square, to witness the inauguration of Dr. John Dramani Mahama, as he made a glorious comeback to the presidency of the Republic of Ghana.

Mahama was inaugurated to begin another four years journey of revitalization of the economy after an eight-year hiatus. His return was made possible after a resounding defeat of former (then incumbent) vice president Mahamudu Bawumia in the December 7, 2024 elections. His target is basically to reset the nation’s economy, and so earned him the sobriquet, Mr. 24hour economy.

The colourful ceremony proved to be a convergence of notable world and African leaders, who recognised the quality and mettle of Mahama’s administrative priwess. Among those present were Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Burkina Faso’s leader Ibrahim Traore, Kenyan President William Ruto, President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon’s Brice Oligui Nguema.

Others were Presidents Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone and Mamadi Doumbouya of Guinea as well as former leaders and officials including former Nigerian presidents, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

There was also the presence of Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, international citizen  and Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu and many other traditional rulers, present and former high profile government officials across the West African sub-region.

The carnival-like inauguration witnessed a mammoth crowd of thousands of jubilant citizens dressed in the red, white, green, and black colours of the victorious National Democratic Congress (NDC) and official colours of the Republic of Ghana, who thronged Ghana‘s capital, Accra, to catch a glimpse of President John Mahama, who they believe is a 21st century messiah, in the guise of former president, late Jerry Rawlings. They waved flags, blew vuvuzelas, danced to loud sounding traditional drumbeats and expressed their optimism in the most graceful manner.

The colourful ceremony, which was also attended by outgoing president, Nana Akufo-Addo and vice president, Muhammadu Bawumia, who lost to Mahama in the election, was a celebration of democracy and hope for a nation battered by years of economic hardship.

Speaking for the first time as the president after eight years, and before an impressive crowd of cheering supporters, Mahama struck an optimistic tone, declaring the day a turning point for Ghana, as it marked the start of his unprecedented second term in office.

“We have endured severe economic hardships, moving from one crisis to another in recent years. But there is hope on the horizon,” he said. “Today marks the beginning of a new opportunity – an opportunity to redefine our governance and economic strategies. Together, we shall reset our beloved nation, Ghana.”

Mahama attributed his 7 December electoral victory, to the youth’s demand for change. He pledged to prioritise inclusivity, accountability, and innovation while focusing on critical areas such as economic restoration, governance reforms, and the fight against corruption.

“Your courage to bring change will not go in vain,” Mahama said. “We will focus our initial efforts on four critical areas: economic restoration and stabilisation of the macroeconomic environment; improvement of the business and investment environment; governance and constitutional reforms; and accountability and the fight against corruption.”

Mahama’s vision includes transforming Ghana into a 24-hour economy, leveraging agriculture and agribusiness to stimulate local industries and create jobs.

“This is a patriotic call to action for all of us to participate in building a nation that lives up to its promise, where hope thrives, and dreams become a reality,” he said.

As the crowd at Black Star Square erupted in cheers, Ghanaians looked forward to a new chapter under Mahama’s leadership. His promises of economic restoration and governance reforms have set high expectations, with the coming months expected to test his ability to deliver on his ambitious agenda.

CITIZENS’ RESPONSES

“I am here because I believe President Mahama will bring real change,” says Priscilla Oforiwaa, 32, a trader from Kumasi who attended the inauguration. “We have suffered for too long, and now is the time for a leader who truly understands our struggles.”

For his part, Andrews Brown, a 25-year-old university graduate who has been unemployed for two years, tells The Africa Report he feels positive about this new era.

“The 24-hour economy he promised gives me hope. We need jobs, innovation, and a leader who listens to the youth. I believe President Mahama can deliver.”

THE DECEMBER 7 ELECTION 

Mahama polled a tital of 6.3 million votes to beat Bawumia with a 1.7 million vote margin, in the election that generated a lot of tension many months before it was held. Both candidates had expressed optimism at coming out victorious as a result of certain advantages exclusive to them.

While Bawumia was banking on the power of incumbency and a few private achievements, Mahama banked on his antecedents, and belief that Ghanaians were desirous of change, considering the generally touted bastardization of the economy.

Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had immediately conceded defeat in the election, making the transition to the next administration a smooth affair.

He noted during a press conference: “The people of Ghana have spoken, the people have voted for change at this time and we respect it with all humility.”

On his X account also, Mahama confirmed he had received Bawumia’s congratulatory call.

Mahama had ruled Ghana between 2012 and early 2017. He had previously failed twice to win back the presidency but in December’s election managed to tap into expectations of change among Ghanaians.

THE MAN, JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA

Mahama, a politician of great repute, was born on November 29 1958, and has been privileged to serve in various civil and political capacities, culminating in holding the highest office in the land from July 24, 2012 to January 7, 2017.

Mahama, who has a very affiliation with Offa, Kwara State in Nigeria, started his primary education at the Accra Newtown Experimental School (ANT1) and completed his O’levels education at Achimota School and his A’levels education at Ghana Secondary School (Tamale, Northern region). He proceeded to the University of Ghana, Legon, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in History in 1981 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies in 1986. As a student, he was a member of Commonwealth Hall (Legon). He also studied at the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow in the Soviet Union, specializing in Social Psychology; he obtained a postgraduate degree in 1988.

His catalogue of enviable services include serving as Vice President of Ghana from 2009 to 2012, and took office as President on July 24, 2012 following the death of his predecessor, John Atta Mills. He was also a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2009 and Minister of Communications from 1998 to 2001. A communication expert, historian, and writer, Mahama is a member of the National Democratic Congress.

Though he was born in Damongo in the Damango-Daboya constituency of Northern region, he is a member of the Gonja ethnic group, and hails from Bole in the Northern region. His father, Emmanuel Adama Mahama, a wealthy rice farmer and teacher, was the first Member of Parliament for the West Gonja constituency and the first Regional Commissioner of the Northern Region during the First Republic under Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah.

After completing his undergraduate education, Mahama taught History at the secondary school level for a few years. Upon his return to Ghana after studying in Moscow, he worked as the Information, Culture and Research Officer at the Embassy of Japan in Accra between 1991 and 1995.

From there he moved to the anti-poverty non-governmental organisation (NGO) Plan International’s Ghana Country Office, where he worked as International Relations, Sponsorship Communications and Grants Manager between 1995 and 1996.

In 1993, he participated in a professional training course for Overseas Public Relations Staff, organized by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo. He also participated in a management development course organized by Plan International (RESA) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Mahama’s first triumph in politics came in 1996 when he was elected to the Parliament of Ghana to represent the Bole/Bamboi Constituency for a four-year term. In April 1997, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Communications, and barely a year later, was promoted to the post of Minister of Communications, and served until January 2001. During the period under review, he also served as the Chairman of the National Communications Authority, in which capacity he played a key role in stabilising Ghana’s telecommunications sector after it was deregulated in 1997.

As a minister, he was a founding member of the Ghana AIDS Commission, a member of the implementation committee of the 2000 National Population Census and a deputy chairman of the Publicity Committee for the re-introduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT).

In 2000, Mahama was re-elected for another four-year term as the Member of Parliament for the Bole/Bamboi Constituency. He was again re-elected in 2004 for a third term. From 2001 to 2004, Mahama served as the Minority Parliamentary Spokesman for Communications.

In 2002, he was appointed the Director of Communications for the NDC. That same year, he served as a member of the team of International Observers selected to monitor Zimbabwe’s Parliamentary Elections.

As an MP, he was a member of Standing Orders Committee as well as the Transport, Industry, Energy, Communications, Science and Technology Committee of Parliament.

In his continued efforts to expand his interest and involvement in international affairs, in 2003 Mahama became a member of the Pan-African Parliament, serving as the Chairperson of the West African Caucus until 2011. He was also a member of European and Pan African Parliaments’ Ad-hoc Committee on Cooperation.

In 2005, he was, additionally, appointed the Minority Spokesman for Foreign Affairs. He is also a member of the UNDP Advisory Committee on Conflict Resolution in Ghana.

As Vice-President, he served as the Chairman of the National Economic Management Team, the Armed Forces Council of Ghana, the Decentralisation and Implementation Committee and the Police Council of Ghana in this capacity.

Mahama is full of experience, having served at all levels of poltical office, and he brought them all to bear as President, giving out a sterling performance that could only compare with the very best. He was the first, and remains the only Ghana president to have been born after independence.

On March 30, 2014, he was elected to preside over ECOWAS. On June 26, 2014, he was elected Chairperson of the African Union’s (AU’s) High-Level African Trade Committee (HATC).

On January 21, 2016 on the occasion of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mahama became co-chair of the Sustainable Development Goals Advocates group which consists of 17 eminent persons assisting the UN Secretary-General in the campaign to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that world leaders unanimously adopted in September 2015.

In December 2016, he was part of the ECOWAS mediation team to resolve the post-election political impasse in The Gambia between the defeated incumbent, Yahya Jammeh and declared winner, Adam Barrow.

Mahama, now a member of the Assemblies of God, is married to Lordina Mahama, and they are blessed with five children named Shafik, Shahid, Sharaf, Jesse and Farida.

Over the course of his career, Mahama has written for several newspapers and other publications both locally and internationally. Additionally, he is also a devotee of Afrobeat music, especially that of Fela Kuti.

Mahama is not new to awards and honours as his good works have paved a broad way for recognitions. He received an honorary doctorate in the field of Public Administration, from the Ekiti State University of Nigeria, formerly affiliated to the Obafemi Awolowo University in “recognition of his politico-socio economic development of Ghana and Africa at various stages of his political career. Later the same university passed a resolution to name its Faculty of Management Science after him.

He was also honoured by the Cuban government with the Friendship Medal for his relentless advocacy for the Cuban cause.

Also, The General Council of Assemblies of God, Ghana has honoured him with its Daniel Award.

The Graduate School of Governance and Leadership also awarded him the African Servant Leadership Award while the Institute of Public Relations recognized Mahama with a prize for his leadership acumen and technocratic flair.

In 2013, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) conferred on Mahama the Africa Award for Excellence in Food Security and Poverty Reduction.

In March 2016, University of Aberdeen held a special convocation to confer him an honorary degree of Doctors of Laws (LLD).

In December 2016, he was honoured with a Life time award by Ovation Media Group during its yearly Ovation Carol.

A Bill Gates Fellow, Mahama was awarded the Great Cross of the National Order of Benin, the highest award in Benin, by President Yayi Boni.

In February 2017, Mahama received the 2016 African Political Leader of the Year Award from the African Leadership Magazine in South Africa.

He honourably left office on January 7, 2017 after losing to main opposition candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, in the general election held a month earlier.

“I will allow history to be the judge of my time,” Mahama said as he address his crowd of supporters as he concede defeat.

He repeated the same lines as he variously defended his administration in a bid to make a comeback during his campaigns.

Mahama has touted the achievements of his government in the areas of power, roads, the economy, water and sanitation. While delivering his final State of the Nation Address to Parliament, he said the government had extended electricity coverage, increased water supply and improved roads.

As president, he deployed emergency plants and sped up the completion of ongoing plants resulting in the addition of more than 800 megawatts (MW) of power over an 18-month period. That, and many more had helped to stabilise the power situation in Ghana.

Working on the standard mantra of achieving “water for all by the year 2025”, Mahama put in extra effort to achieve the target well in advance of the set date by increasing investment in the provision of clean drinking water, citing of boreholes, small town water systems and major urban water treatment. Consequently, by the end of 2015, excess of 76 per cent of both rural and urban residents have access to potable water.

Mahama contended that his tenure of office had seen some of the most massive investments in the road sector in the history of the country.

While he completed road projects he inherited, such as the Achimota-Ofankor, Awoshie-Pokuase, Sofoline and Tetteh Quarshie-Adenta, he also commenced and completed the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, fast-tracked the construction and opening of the Kasoa overhead bridge, completed the Airport Hills/Burma Camp network of roads, as well as the 37-El Wak-Trade Fair road and a host of others.

His trail of achievements are endless. Mahama is just another name for administrative excellence, and Ghanaians are blessed to have him return to complete his second tenure as the landlord of Jubilee House.

Continue Reading

Headline

Atiku Slams APC over Inflammatory Remarks Against Peter Obi

Published

1 week ago

on

January 7, 2025

By

For Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, over what he described as inflammatory remarks directed at Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election.

Atiku described Morka’s comments as a “disturbing emblem” of the current administration’s strategy to stifle opposition voices.

He also expressed concern over the prolonged detention of Mahdi Shehu, a prominent government critic, and others, suggesting these actions indicate a shift toward authoritarian governance.

“The choice of words used by the APC spokesperson, particularly the ominous suggestion that Obi has ‘crossed the line,’ reveals an alarming disdain for democratic principles,” Atiku said.

“Such language, rooted in hostility, has no place in a free society where civil discourse and engagement should reign supreme.”

Atiku emphasized the vital role of opposition leaders in fostering accountability and improving governance, arguing that a true democracy thrives on a healthy exchange of ideas.

He expressed alarm over Morka’s statement that Obi should “be ready for whatever comes his way,” calling on the APC to clarify this “chilling threat.”

The former Vice President also condemned the APC spokesperson’s framing of Obi’s calls for constructive engagement, likening them to a lawless “Wild West” scenario.

Atiku described this language as crude and unbecoming of a ruling party, urging the APC to issue a formal apology to Obi and the Nigerian public.

In addition to the remarks against Obi, Atiku highlighted the case of Mahdi Shehu, who remains in detention without clear justification.

He argued that the Tinubu administration’s actions are eroding fundamental freedoms and setting a dangerous precedent.

“If there is anyone who has truly ‘crossed the line,’ it is the Tinubu administration, whose continuous vilification of opposition figures as mere irritants to be crushed is a dangerous precedent,” Atiku said.

The PDP candidate called on Nigerians and the international community to demand an end to what he described as “the stifling of dissenting voices”, warning that the survival of Nigeria’s democracy depends on the protection of free speech and opposition rights.

Atiku concluded by urging President Tinubu’s administration to recalibrate its approach to dissent, emphasizing the need for dialogue, engagement, and respect for democratic principles.

Continue Reading

Trending