While much of the world spent 2016 focused on the voting of two countries (the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom and the elections in the United States), Ghana also held elections for parliament and the president.
There are a number of political parties in Ghana, but the two major parties are the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The election placed President John Mahama (NDC) against Nana Akufo-Addo (NPP), and Ghana decided it was time for a change. President Akufo-Addo was sworn into office on 14 January 2017.
Ghana’s Fourth Republic
Ghana is considered to be in its fourth republic since independence in 1957, with the previous three republics overthrown by a variety of coups. President Jerry Rawlings (NDC) was elected as the first president in the fourth republic in 1992 and served for two four-year terms. He was succeeded by President John Kuffour (NPP), who also served two four-year terms. Kuffour was succeeded by President John Atta-Mills (NDC), who died in office in 2012. His vice president, Mahama was sworn in as president and then chosen to lead the NDC presidential ticket, which he won. Akufo-Addo ran for the presidency in 2008, 2012 and finally in 2016.
Ghana’s Elections
The previous two elections were rife with accusations from the NPP of fraud and mismanagement. In 2008, in the initial election, Akufo-Addo had won the most votes, but failed to win more than 50 percent, initiating a run-off election which he lost to Atta-Mills. In 2012, the NPP went to court to contest the results of the election, but the Supreme Court ruled against them; John Mahama was sworn in as president.
The most recent election had tensions running high throughout the country, however, everyone was seemingly aware of this and whenever there was any kind of election talk, no matter what side someone fell on, they would end their statements with, “As long as the elections are peaceful. All I want is peace for Ghana.”
Ghana’s 2016 Campaigns and Election Results
The NDC, the ruling party, campaigned on their achievements while in office, such as increased and improved infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and schools. The NPP, the opposition party, campaigned more in initiatives such as free Senior High School (SHS), One District One Factory and addressing corruption. Akufo-Addo won the 7 December election with 53% of the vote.
After the Electoral Commission of Ghana declared Akufo-Addo the winner, traveling around people would twirl their index fingers around each other at you, smiling and cheering signifying “change.” (The NDC supporters during the election would point one finger and thrust is forward to signify “forward.”) The country was peaceful after the elections and the counting of the votes and now the people of Ghana wait to see if the change they voted for will come.
This post is part of Blogging Abroad’s 2017 New Years Blog Challenge, week four: Change and Hope.