We’re a blessed people – Akufo-Addo declares with The Gambia in mind

President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo says Ghanaians ought to be thankful to God for the prevailing peace and sustained democracy in the country.

Expressing his recognition of President Mahama’s magnanimity in conceding defeat to him in the December 7 general elections, Mr. Akufo-Addo acknowledged that Ghanaians are indeed blessed.

He was addressing thousands of New Patriotic Party activists at a thanksgiving service Sunday where he juxtaposed the ongoing smooth transition between the outgoing government and the incoming administration with happenings in The Gambia.

The Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, barely two weeks after losing a landmark national election to the opposition’s Adama Barrow, said he will not accept the outcome of the election, calling for re-election amidst international condemnation.

This is in sharp contrast to the situation in Ghana that Nana Akufo-Addo had cause to admonish Ghanaians to appreciate the goodness of the Lord.

“How can we ignore the poignant convergence of events on the evening of Friday December 9 2016? When our President His Excellency John Dramani Mahama was calling me to concede defeat in the best tradition of Ghanaian statesmanship, President Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia was renouncing the surprising concession of his defeat in elections held a week before.

“We are a blessed people in Ghana and we must appreciate the goodness of the Lord and work ceaselessly to deserve His grace.” ROUGH ROADS The president-elect recounted his 40 years journey to the presidency, which he noted had not been rosy.

“The going was not easy. The road has been rough. The valleys were deep. And the mountains were steep. We stumbled many times along the way. Sometimes we came tantalizingly close to the proverbial walls of the city but, painfully the city gates were closed in our faces.

“But we never lost hope. We learnt from each mistake and we soldiered on, in the belief that in His own time, we will get there, better prepared.”