Outgoing president, John Dramani Mahama has thanked Ghanaians for helping him deliver on a four-year mandate given him in 2012 in his last new year message to the nation as president.

In a rather emotional piece, President Mahama thanks God, the citizenry and his family for a successful four-year tenure while urging all to help sustain the progress the country has made in the past years.

He emphasised the need for all to acknowledge and work towards maintaining the 'prosperity' that the country has succeeded in establishing.

"Ghana has managed to succeed in establishing prosperity for all and sustainable growth, which is evident by the degree of social and economic transformation that has taken place all around us this past four years", he said.

President Mahama wants the country to be guided by history as it marks 60 years of independence in the coming months.

"It is my hope that we look to our past to help guide us into our future, the world around us is changing at a very fast pace in other to remain relevant on the world stage, we must keep up with those changes."

He urged Ghanaians to move forward as a nation, and also pray for the well-being, longevity, and prosperity of the nation.

‘’It has been a blessing serving this nation and I thank each and every Ghanaian and God Almighty for this privilege and I wish you all a joyous 2017.’’

President John Mahama also wished the incoming president, Nana Akufo-Addo God’s blessings as he takes office on January 7.