President John Dramani Mahama has said that he does not hope his successor will fail even though President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo has been his arch rival.

Delivering his last State of the Nation address in Parliament on Thursday January 5 in accordance with article 67 of the 1992 constitution, the president, who will be handing over power on January 7 to Mr Akufo-Addo, stressed: “The well-being of the people [of Ghana] must come first in all things.”

He was of the view that “regardless of whose tenure under which the visions [to develop Ghana] are realised, the success belongs to Ghana”, hence “we can't afford as a nation to hope for the failure of any president and their government”.

Mr Mahama added that he had the “utmost respect for Akufo-Addo; we were worthy opponents”.

He recounted his relationship with Mr Akufo-Addo, explaining that “Nana Akufo-Addo and I entered Parliament in the same year, served three terms and departed together”.

For him, he has done his best for Ghana and given “my all in service of God and my country”.

Mr Mahama underscored that he would “allow history to be the judge of how I have served my nation”.