That large sucking sound you just heard is Ghanaians heaving a collective sigh of relief at the just concluded elections.
Though there were scattered reports of violence, the elections, nonetheless, was a resounding success, and we ought to congratulate ourselves for a job well done; yes, let us pat ourselves on the back for exercising patience and putting aside our partisan political inclinations for the unity of the country.
Praise, too, must be heaped on our political leaders; the president’s concession speech was dignified and one for the ages. Mr. Mahama has indeed demonstrated that his word is his bond. It would be recalled that during the campaign, the president remarked that he would accept the outcome of the elections no matter who the victor was.
On the other side of the political spectrum, Mr. Akuffo Addo was conciliatory and gracious in accepting victory and pledging to work for all Ghanaians. Despite their varied political ideologies, when it comes to national unity, our politicians share the same objective.
And, we should not forget our tireless security agencies who made sure that those knuckleheads from the two major political parties who were bent on creating pandemonium did not get a chance to fulfill their twisted dreams.
The Electoral Commission and its hundreds of workers spread across the country deserve special mention. After coming under relentless attacks from the major contenders, especially the now victorious NPP, the agency has proved to all and sundry that it is very capable of discharging its official duties, that is, conducting elections without undue interference from any higher authority or favoring the party in power.
Shame on all those who rained insults and scorn on Madam Charlotte Osei, the head of the Commission. She did due diligence and the success of the elections was due to her competence.
Some of us had sleepless nights, but thankfully, those are now confined to the past. Fears of protracted violence that could easily have set the nation back several decades, fortunately did not materialize.
The challenges facing the nation are numerous: poverty among Ghanaians is endemic because the economy is not doing extremely well and unemployment still remains stubbornly high.
Politically, the country is bitterly divided, and the elections have only made things worse. But that does not mean that we can’t chip away at these problems. All we have to do is forge a united front and hold our elected representatives and every government institution accountable.
So, now that we have emerged from the contentious elections unscathed, it is absolutely important that we focus on the future of our country and how best we can all work together and make it a better place for all irrespective of our tribal and political affiliations.
