President John Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has pledged a renewed commitment to ethical leadership, inclusive governance and accelerated national transformation as his administration marked one year in office with a thanksgiving ceremony at the Jubilee House yesterday.
Delivering the keynote address at the non-denominational service, President Mahama said the occasion was not a celebration of power or triumph, but a moment of gratitude and recommitment to the trust reposed in his government by Ghanaians.
“Thanksgiving must also be accompanied by recommitment. Today, we recommit to ethical leadership, to service above self, to governance anchored in integrity, competence and compassion,” the President declared.
He assured Ghanaians that the year ahead would be approached with humility, empathy and courage, stressing that leadership was stewardship and authority a fleeting trust held on behalf of the people.
President Mahama acknowledged the economic hardship, social anxiety and global uncertainties that had characterised the past year, but noted that Ghana’s democratic institutions had remained resilient and the people patient and hopeful.
“The work we have begun is far from finished,” he said, adding that progress should not be measured only by economic indicators, but also by restored hope, rebuilt trust and a regained sense of national direction.
He further pledged to listen more attentively to vulnerable groups, the youth and those who felt excluded, while calling for national unity as the foundation of Ghana’s strength.
The thanksgiving service, attended by the Vice President, Prof. Jane Nana Opoku-Agyemang, the First Lady, Lordina Mahama, the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, senior government officials, Members of Parliament, clergy, traditional leaders and the diplomatic corps, also featured a documentary highlighting major milestones chalked up by the administration over the past year.
Among the key interventions showcased was the repeal of several taxes, including the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) and the betting tax.
President Mahama was shown signing the repeal bills into law, describing the removal of the COVID levy as “promise made, promise delivered.”
The documentary also highlighted the launch of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as “Mahama Care”, a flagship social intervention aimed at supporting Ghanaians living with chronic non-communicable diseases.
The President noted that such diseases account for more than 40 percent of deaths nationwide, and said the initiative was designed to restore hope to families overwhelmed by the cost of long-term care.
“We are launching more than just an initiative; we are launching hope,” he stated in the recorded footage.
Another major policy milestone featured was the introduction of free tertiary education for persons with disabilities, under the theme “Disability, Not Inability”.
The initiative integrates existing scholarship schemes into a universal disability scholarship managed under the Student Loan Fund, in line with the administration’s “reset agenda” on inclusion and equity.
The past year also saw the formal launch of the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, which President Mahama described as a “national reset” aimed at unlocking Ghana’s productive potential.
The programme targets high-impact, job-rich and export-oriented sectors with strong linkages across the economy.
In the area of agriculture, the Feed Ghana Programme was unveiled as the umbrella framework for achieving food self-sufficiency, modernising farming practices and developing agro-industrial zones nationwide.
Infrastructure development featured prominently, with the President outlining the “Big Push” programme covering roads, railways and aviation infrastructure across all 16 regions, drawing parallels with historical investments that opened up economies elsewhere.
The documentary also captured President Mahama publicly presenting his completed assets declaration forms, a move he said was intended to inject openness and transparency into the anti-corruption framework.
The President expressed gratitude to farmers, workers, public servants, security personnel, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and the Ghanaian people for their patience, criticism and enduring faith in the nation.
“I thank you for one year of trust, one year of partnership and one year of shared sacrifice,” he said, expressing confidence that the year ahead would bring renewed strength, wisdom and hope to Ghana.
By Ernest Kofi Adu