Being a great leader goes beyond giving orders from above, a great leader is someone who cultivates a symbiotic relationship with their team and subordinates to create an environment of mutual respect learning and growth that will impact the large followings.

A great leader must possess and exhibit some traits that makes them stand out from their contemporaries. I am therefore analysing the traits of former president John Mahama in relations to what he did in his first term and envisage what he will bring on board if he wins the 2024 general elections.

Whiles the former president has consistently claimed that he possesses leadership qualities that has the propensity to transform this country to achieve sustainable and impactful growth, his political opponents disagree, and have tried to cast a slur on his leadership qualities. It is therefore important to dig into the former president’s leadership traits when he was the president between 2012 and 2016.

John Mahama’s leadership traits and vision makes him see beyond the present and envisions a future where this country can be self-sufficient and continue to thrive. He is proactive and takes steps to shape the future rather than simply reacting to events.

The building of the University of Ghana Medical Centre and the Bank of Ghana hospital which turned out to be the place of sanctuary during the COVID-19 pandemic is an attestation of his vision and proactive nature. With John Mahama, it’s not just about having a vision, it’s about actualising that vision.

As a president, Mr. Mahama envisioned and initiated the establishment of the Afari Military Hospital in Kumasi as an answer to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

The brain behind this is that, military hospitals practitioners are not allowed to go on strike, therefore in the event that other practitioners go on strike, the Afari Military Hospital will be there to save lives as the Accra 37 Military Hospital has always done, this is vision.

The Accra Digital Centre (ADC) was established by former president John Mahama to position Ghana as a regional ICT Hub to enable a leap into the digital age, clearly he envisaged the future and planned towards it.

Additionally, John Mahama takes responsibilities and is an effective communicator. He has a knack for breaking down complex ideas in easily understandable concepts, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.

During his presidency, John Mahama valued open lines of communication and created an environment where all Ghanaians felt heard and valued. When the country was hit with erratic power supply, he did not make any excuse, he took the bull by the horn and declared that “I John Dramani Mahama, I will fix will fix the energy challenge, and not just manage it”.

He actualised his words by solving the problem before leaving power. He procured emergency power plants such as Karpowership (450MW) and Ameri (250MW) projects which is a Build Operate and Take (BOT) agreement and therefore became a bona-fide property of Ghana in 2021.

This is a mark of a responsible leader.

John Dramani Mahama fixed dumsor pragmatically, he did not managed it as former president Kufour did by sending pastors to the Akosombo Dam to pray for miracle to solve the problem. At the end of December 2015, the persistent energy crises was solved by H.E. John Mahama and declared same in February 2016 during his state of the nation address.

When there were some challenges, through his initiative, he and his appointees took 10% pay cut and saved the country GHC 2.5 million, that is the perfect description of leadership by example.

During his first term, John Mahama’s actions both big and small demonstrated his commitment to the success and well-being of Ghana and Ghanaians, his leadership style inspires change and transformation within Ghanaian communities and institutions.

The type of leadership exhibited by H.E. John Mahama was not just focused with the end goal but also takes an interest in advancing the skills, abilities, and development of the members of the citizenry.

He fosters an open and supportive environment where his ministers felt comfortable voicing their concerns and ideas for national development. He is a listener, validates and act on the feedbacks he received which helped strengthened the bond within his cabinet.

John Mahama built strong relationships which extends beyond his immediate cabinet and encompasses, the Christian council, Muslims scholars, the chieftaincy, academia, business community and the media. He understood and appreciated the unique contributions that each taxonomy brings and maintained a sustainable connection with them for the growth of Ghana.

He promoted open dialogue, ensuring that everyone feels comfortable expressing their ideas and concerns, which creates a more inclusive and innovative work environment.

This is the man Ghana needs for transformational leadership and national development, he is experienced, honest, tolerant and open to criticism.