Challenges Awaiting The New President

For the past decades, Ghana has been viewed as a regional leader in democracy, given its challenging neighborhood bordering the Sahel States. Although cross-border security challenges persist, Ghana has not experienced any major terrorist attacks. But its security apparatus faces significant internal challenges, including rising chieftaincy conflicts, illegal mining (galamsey), land use disputes, and citizenship issues in some communities. Beyond the borders, he inherits a host of security challenges. The Sahel region has seen six successful coups and several attempted ones in the last four years. This has been in countries like, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Benin and Sierra Leone. Terrorism and insurgencies have become visible security threats. The Sahel has become the epicentre of global terrorism, as both Islamic State (Isis) and Al Qaeda have established strong footholds in the region. President John Mahama stands a chance to play a pivotal role.
President Mahama’s experience as a former ECOWAS chairman might serve as catalyst to peace. His administration must explore collaboration while remaining committed to good governance and democracy. Rebuilding trust among member States and attending to the root causes of the breakaway will be crucial to healing the rift. At the same time, Ghana must strengthen its bilateral and multilateral partnerships so that the Sahel alliance does not undermine broader regional security initiatives. Balancing diplomacy with firm support for democratic norms will be key in this complex challenges. Mahama’s ability to engage constructively with western allies and powers like Russia and China will be critical to ensure Ghana avoids entanglement in the rivalries destabilizing the region.
In the economic sector, the challenges he has to face are enormous. With rising poverty and a new study finding six out of 10 Ghanaians wishing to emigrate, in search of better job opportunities, President...