The former president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahamawas officially proclaimed winner of the presidential elections held last Saturday, after the Electoral Commission announced the results this Monday night. With a backing of 56,5% of the votes cast, Mahamaof 65 yearsprevailed over his main opponent, the vice president Mahamudu Bawumiawho reached the 41% of the votes.
As reported Jean Mensapresident of the Electoral Commission, the results correspond to the votes of 267 of the 276 constituencies of the country, which establishes a absolute victory to Mahamaeven if Bawumia will obtain all the votes in the nine remaining constituencies.
Electoral participation reached 60,9%a relevant fact considering the context of economic crisis that crosses the country. The Electoral Commission He stressed that the elections were carried out in a manner “fair, credible, transparent and peaceful”in line with the democratic tendencies of Ghanadespite some isolated incidents.
The vice president Bawumiaof 61 yearsadmitted defeat on Sunday and congratulated Mahama for his victory, pledging to support the transition process. Bawumia He also recognized that the National Democratic Congress (NDC)the party of Mahamathere was also won the parliamentary elections.
“I am making this concession speech before the official announcement by the Election Commission to avoid further tensions and preserve the peace of our country. It is important that the global investment community continues to believe in the peaceful and democratic character of Ghana”, stressed the vice president.
For its part, Mahama celebrated his victoria as “emphatic” and promised to lead a government that represents the “hopes and dreams” of the Ghanaian people. In an emotional speech to his followers in Accrathe president-elect expressed his gratitude to the voters, especially the youths who saw in this election an opportunity to overcome the economic conditions that affect the country.
This year’s elections took place in a context of a deep economic crisismarked by a high public debt y the worst cost of living crisis in the country in a generation. Ghanaa major producer of gold and cocoa in Africafaces his worst recession in decadeswhich led the government to request a loan of 3 billion dollars al International Monetary Fund (IMF).
During the election campaign, Bawumiaan economist by profession, highlighted that the slowdown of the national economy, which according to him “was going well” before 2020, was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 and to the effects of the war between Russia y Ukraine.
The former president Mahamawho led the country between 2012 and 2017, had focused his campaign on the need for a “restart” of the economynoting that high unemployment rates, particularly among young people, demonstrated that Ghana “is at a crossroads.”
In terms of security, the elections passed without major incidents, except for a shooting isolated in the north of the country he left one dead and one injured. Despite this, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) They agreed in describing the process as peaceful and in accordance with international democratic standards.
With this victory, Mahama prepares to take on a new mandate four yearsmarking the return to power of his party, the NDCafter having lost the presidential elections of 2016 y 2020 before the former president Nana Akufo-Addowho could not run this time due to constitutional limits on the number of consecutive terms.
Bawumia sought to make history by becoming the first Muslim president of Ghana and achieve a victory that would have allowed the NPP achieve an unprecedented third consecutive term in Government.
(With information from EFE /AP)
