Accra – Ghana’s new President Nana Akufo-
Addo pledged to cut taxes to boost the
economy at his swearing in ceremony on
Saturday, whilst also promising to protect
the public purse by getting value for money
on
services.
Akufo-Addo, 72, defeated incumbent John
Dramani Mahama in peaceful elections a
month ago, a rare peaceful transfer of power
in a region plagued by political crises.
The major cocoa and gold exporter is half-
way through a three-year aid programme
with the International Monetary Fund to fix
an economy dogged by high public debt and
inflation.
Akufo-Addo
It is not clear how the new president will cut
taxes and still stick to an IMF austerity plan
that was a condition of a 918 million dollars
bailout.
“We will reduce taxes to recover the
momentum of our economy,” said Akufo-
Addo, wrapped in a traditional kaleidoscopic
“kente” robe.
“Ghana is open for business again.”
At the venue for the inauguration in Black
Star Square, thousands of Ghanaians also
draped in traditional kente garments
clapped. Outside the perimeters, revellers
drummed and danced.
Akufo-Addo suggested government money
would be spent wisely.
“I shall protect the public purse by insisting
on value for money,” he said.
“Public service is just that: service, and is
not to be seen as an opportunity for making
money.”
Ghana expects growth will return to above
eight per cent in 2017 as new oil and gas
fields from Tullow and ENI come on tap.
Akufo-Addo served as foreign minister and
attorney general in the NPP government
that ruled between 2001 and 2009.
He twice previously lost close battles for the
presidency. He is the son of a former chief
justice and non-executive president of
Ghana.
During his campaign, he had accused the
Mahama administration of corruption and
incompetence, charges the outgoing
president denied.
Mahama attended the ceremony.
It was also attended by dozens of African
leaders and other international dignitaries,
including President Muhammadu Buhari,
Chadian President Idris Deby, President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and former
UN chief Kofi Annan.
Ghanaians are proud of having a stable
democracy and acutely aware that it is a
rarity in turbulent region.
Akufo-Addo’s New Patriotic Party also won
a majority of 169 seats in Parliament while
the former ruling National Democratic
Congress now has 106 seats.
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