President Mahama goes hi-tech again

GOVERNMENT

By Nana Appiah Acquaye, Accra, Ghana

John Dramani Mahama has officially been sworn in as Ghana’s 4^th President of the fourth republic at a grand swearing-in ceremony well attended by both national and international dignitaries, including the Former United National General Secretary, Kofi Annan, two former heads of state, Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufour, and South African President Jacob Zuma.

H.E John Mahama, who was sworn in by the Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Woods, called for national unity that would enable the nation serve as a beacon of hope on the African continent.

The President, who is been described by many on several social networks as the ‘technology savvy president’, gave a good account of himself during his address to the teeming crowd that thronged the Independence Square, when he was seen reading from a white Samsung Galaxy tab.

This gesture by the President although is not the first time been seen using a smart tab to deliver his address, has generated lots of debate on social network platform like facebook, while others tweeted their impressions about the hi-tech way in which the President is running his office.

Earlier on last week, the President made another ‘smart’ move, this time on the floor of parliament.

For the first time in the history of Ghana’s parliament. the president was seen delivering his final address to the august house in an “ex-tempo” manner, using two visual screens and a teleprompter.

In his address at the Independence Square, President Mahama noted that Ghana is on the cusp of enormous transformation and is moving forward at a rapid pace.  

“New resources are at our disposal; new alliances are being formed. The opportunities posed by these gains could result in a self-sufficiency that was always imagined and desired, but was never a realistic occurrence in the foreseeable future, not in the way it is right now,” he said.

“Ghana should, and will, be a place where economic opportunities are available to everyone. I recognize the vital role that our private sector, especially small and indigenous businesses, plays in the expansion of our workforce as well as in the growth and stability of our economy.

I want to assure the business community that I will be an ally. I will extend whatever support I am able to reinforce your contributions to our development,” he added.