Ningo Prampram lawmaker, Samuel Nartey George who has been re-elected in the 2024 general elections, has described the challenges that the incoming Mahama administration will face as colossal and gargantuan.
In his view, it will take only God to ensure that President-elect Mahama leads the country right.
Speaking on the victory of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 polls on TV3’s Key Points on Saturday, December 14, he said “It humbles me to know that the people who have given Akufo-Addo a lesson in humility, in four years we will go back to the polls again, and so President Mahama and all of his appointees including all of us in government, will need to learn that we hold and wield power in trust for the Ghanaian people and that ultimate power rests with the Ghanaian people.
“To whom much is given, much is expected, the level of expectations that Ghanaians have placed on us. I was speaking with a few senior clergymen who we worked with in the lead-up to this election, they need to even council and pray for [John Mahama] even more because of the weight of the expectations on his shoulders, only God can guide him to lead this country right because you are coming for a place where the mess is colossal the damage is gargantuan.”
Mr Mahama himself appears to appreciate the weight of the challenge he will face when he told the United Nations (UN) that his party, the National Democratic Congress which has given birth to the yet-to-be sworn-in administration made several promises during the campaign season but they will need to look at what the reality is in terms of sitting together and seeing what the way forward is.
In a meeting with United Nations Resident Coordinator Charles Abani on Tuesday, December 11, he said “So we look forward to working with you. Looking at the existing programmes we need to tweak them to meet the realities of today.
“I believe we have had discussions with the World Bank and the IMF already and we look to an early engagement so that we can continue to be on the wavelength. Of course, in the campaign several promises were made, we need to look at what the reality is in terms of sitting together and seeing what the way forward is. Of course, one of our main concerns is the issue of the debt repayments, we need to see how we can smooth them so that we don’t default again which will be more catastrophic than that currently defaulting.”
The UN Boss had said “Our real purpose here is to congratulate you for your victory to thank you for the way you led your party to a successful, peaceful election year in Ghana particularly as the international community had its eyes on Ghana to continue to hold up the torch of Ghana.
“Your ascension to office also brings you the first female vice president ever to Ghana, congratulations on that success. This is to assure you that UN stands fully with you and fully with Ghana, we know your presidency is just about to unfold, I can assure you of our collaboration. thank you.”
Responding to him, Mr Mahama further said Ghana and the UN have had a long-standing relationship. He expressed the will to deepen this relationship.
“I really appreciate it. Ghana has long-standing relations with all the agencies under the UN and having been president before I know the work we did together. we need you more than ever before because of the crisis we still face or going through. I have had the opportunity to meet some of you even during the campaign, I have expressed our want for us to work even closer together to see how we can put our Ghana back on its feet. Of course, we all know that Ghana is very important in the geopolitics of West Africa and Africa in terms of upholding democracy and being the model of peace and security, it is something that we want to restore as quickly as possible.
“So, we look forward to working with you. Looking at the existing programmes we need to tweak them to meet the realities of today. I believe we have had discussions with the World Bank and the IMF already and we look to an early engagement so that we can continue to be on the wavelength. Of course, in the campaign several promises were made, we need to look at what the reality is in terms of sitting together and seeing what the way forward is. Of course, one of our main concerns is the issue of the debt repayments, we need to see how we can smooth them so that we don’t default again which will be more catastrophic than that currently defaulting,” he said.
He added “we know that in the last five years, the rainfall pattern was very erratic and so we are anticipating that there is going to be some problems with the availability of food and so, how we are able to quicken support to ameliorate the situation is something that we will like to work on with all the other agencies, UNICEF, UNHCR , we are happy to continue to engage to see how we can uplift the cooperation and the work that we do together.
“I don’t kid myself that it is going to be an easy task, it is going to be quite tough. I anticipated that we were going to win but I didn’t anticipate the margin by which we were going to win , that is an indication that Ghanaians have a very high expectations and so in managing that expectation, I am trying to work as quickly as possible to meet those expectations.”
The post Mahama inherited colossal challenges, the damage is gargantuan – Sam George first appeared on 3News.
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