RALLY BEHIND THE NEW DAWN (JANUARY 8)

GHANAIANS witnessed a momentous and historic occasion at the Independence Square yesterday when Professor J.E.A. Mills was inaugurated as the third President of the Fourth Republic.
The milling crowd and Heads of State and Governments who graced the occasion was a clear manifestation of the endorsement of our democratic values on a continent where election disputes have led to violence.
The race for the Golden Jubilee House had been fierce and acrimonious, on some occasions resulting in the loss of some limbs.
The close nature of the race also exposed how vulnerable the unity of the country is, as many people were afraid that it would be difficult to bring the political divide together for the task of nation building.
If attendance at the inauguration ceremony at the Independence Square yesterday, particularly the presence of the two former Presidents and the presidential candidates who contested the 2008 elections was anything to go by, then we have decided to leave the past behind and support the new government to deliver on its mandate.
It is refreshing that President Mills indicated that “the change is not just for the sake of it but it will be a change for a new direction to move the country forward”.
Declaring that the elections were over, President Mills pledged to be President for all Ghanaians, irrespective of their political persuasions and where they hailed from, adding, “I will heal the wounds and strive to ensure the unity of our country.”
We salute Prof. Mills on his election as President of the Republic and his pledge to heal the wounds because utterances during and after the elections nearly pushed the country to the brink of war.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is happy that all the stakeholders in nation building recognise the need for consensus building, this tone having been set earlier in the day when Parliament elected a Speaker and her two deputies in a very consensual manner.
We believe in affirmative action and we are glad that the new government settled on Mrs Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo, an eminent jurist, as the new Speaker of Parliament.
The DAILY GRAPHIC encourages the new government not to end its commitment to affirmative action with the appointment of a female Speaker but resolve to make getting more women into the decision-making process permeate all facets of public service.
We also salute the Speaker and her two deputies and hope that they will bring their rich experiences to bear on the governance process of the country.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is aware that every election comes with its challenges, particularly when it is a contest for the highest office of the land. There is no doubt that as a result of the fierce nature of the polls and the fact that others have lost out in the contest, certain people harbour pain, while others think it is pay-back time.
We have no doubt at all that the new government will involve all Ghanaians in the decision-making process in order to forge a united front.
For this reason, we leave the new administration and all Ghanaians with admonitions from Colossians 3:12-13, which states, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if any one has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so also must you do.”