Politics of Wednesday, 12 December 2012

Source: --

Democratic Institute of Ghana congratulate the President

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT
The Democratic Institute of Ghana(DIG) wishes to congratulate the President, John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress, and all elected Parliamentarians on their victory in the just ended general elections.
With this victory, the Democratic Institute of Ghana(DIG) believes that that the solid foundations laid by the Mills-Mahama government in its first term, provides the basis for rapid economic and social transformation of our nation in this second term provided by this victory.
The DIG has no doubt that the Mahama–Amisa-Arthur administration is more than capable of providing the quality leadership needed to propel our nation to a full middle income country in the next four years of their mandate.
The manifesto of the National Democratic Congress which the party and the government sold to and was bought by the people of Ghana and which provides the basis for our rapid economic and social transformation will be fully implemented.
While statistics portrays excellent economic performance, the same could not be said of the quality of life of ordinary people, who continue to provide the government with the votes and the legitimacy it requires to continue to govern. Herein lies the greatest challenge of this second term mandate.
Corruption, even if it is largely a perception, must engage the unending extra attention of the government and the President. Ghanaians expect their President to carry through his electoral pledge to strengthen the anti-corruption institutions of state by providing them with the sharp teeth with which to bite hard at those who dare to deny the people the financial resources needed to improve their lives.



This second term presents the President and his government more difficult challenges as expectations of ordinary people were heightened by the sweet promises made by politicians during the electioneering campaign. We expect the government to earn its continued stay in office by meeting the expectations of our people.
We congratulate all political parties, particularly the New Patriotic Party, the largest opposition party, for a good show, and urge them to accept their loss in good faith and cooperate with the government to deepen our democracy. We urge the NPP to seek redress for any grievances they may have through the legally constituted rules and regulations and the law.
Finally, we congratulate the Electoral Commission and the good people of Ghana for their patience which was tested once again to its very elastic limits, but which held firmly, and their sense of patriotic duty which endured during the two days of tortuous voting and collation of results and their acceptance no matter how unpalatable the results may have been.
Let us pat ourselves on the back for deepening and consolidating our democracy to yet another higher height. We are indeed the beacon of democracy on the African continent.
Once again, congratulations to all and sundry for a wonderful work well done.
FOR AND ON BEHALF OF:
TEH DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE OF GHAN
SIGNED
E. M. N. AMETOR-QUARMYNE
RECTOR