Ghana's president has charged citizens to put the just ended election petition behind them and work towards the development of the country.
In a rallying cry for unity, President John Mahama said Ghanaians can no longer afford to be cynical; neither can they sit on the sidelines.
"It is time to make Ghana work again," he said in a presidential broadcast on Thursday, hours after he was affirmed by the Supreme Court as the validly elected president of the 2012 elections.
Describing the petition and the verdict as an evolution of the country's democracy, the president stated the petition only strengthened the country's institutions.
"Strong institutions are the bedrock of strong nations," he stated.
The president implored all Ghanaians to allow the Supreme Court exercise to move the country forward, adding, the lessons learnt from the petition should be constructive and not destructive, or the country will become its own enemies of progress.
John Mahama gave the assurance that he will take bold decisions to ensure reforms suggested by the judges are implemented.
He praised the sense of patriotism of Ghanaians and touted Ghana's credentials as a country known for its "richness in diversity."
"The political maturity and patriotism has ensured Ghana is ultimate winner...Victory must be to Ghana," he noted.
The president applauded the integrity of the Supreme Court judges and their show of professionalism in the eight month long legal battle to unseat him.
Quoting Dr JB Danquah, one of the founding fathers of the NPP and a member of the Big Six, the president said "freedom to express an opinion and to act in terms of that opinion is not an abuse of power in a democracy."
He charged Ghanaians to be tolerant of each others' opinions which he said is part of the maturing democracy of the country.
He confirmed earlier reports that Nana Akufo-Addo, the first petitioner and Flagbearer of the NPP in the 2012 elections had called to congratulate him for his victory.
That gesture, he said, should be the beginning of fostering unity among all Ghanaians.
