Ghana’s Electoral Commission announced on Monday that ex-president John Dramani Mahama has won Saturday’s presidential election with 56.55% of the votes, according to early results.
Mahama, who led Ghana from 2012 to 2016, defeated the ruling party’s candidate, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who had already accepted defeat on Sunday to calm any potential tensions.
Reuters reported that voter turnout was 60.9%, with votes from 267 out of 276 constituencies counted.
Mahama, 66, told excited supporters that this victory was a message from Ghanaians about their dissatisfaction with poor leadership.
He criticized his rival, Bawumia, for representing policies that have caused Ghana’s worst economic struggles in recent memory.
Reuters highlighted Mahama’s promise to introduce stricter reforms, tackle bad governance, and rebuild the country’s economy. He also pledged to renegotiate Ghana’s $3-billion IMF bailout to ease the country’s debt crisis.
According to Reuters, Mahama plans to improve business regulations, create a 24-hour work system, lower taxes, and invest $10 billion to upgrade infrastructure.
Ghana’s current economic challenges, including high living costs, have hurt the ruling government’s popularity, giving voters a strong reason to choose change.
Credit : Reuters