“I call on all Ghanaians, everyone, to act with kindness, generosity and magnanimity towards one another, and to forgive anyone who might have wronged and hurt you (in the campaign process),” he said, indicating that the journey to economic prosperity needed the support of all Ghanaians, not just the NPP.

He  said this when addressing a large crowd at the thanksgiving service organised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for his victory in the December 7 polls, at the Accra Sports Stadium yesterday.
Nana Akufo-Addo urged Ghanaians to renew their strength and work hard towards the development of the nation.

“Now, even as we praise God for His immense kindness, we also know that we have a lot of work ahead of us. It is a task that we can and will deliver with your support and hard work. I have no doubt that with God on our side, we shall succeed. Remember, the battle is the Lord’s,” he said.

The President-elect commended Ghanaians for conducting themselves with dignity and serenity during the elections, and thanked President John Dramani Mahama for “displaying the best tradition of Ghanaian statesmanship”.

“We are a blessed people and we must appreciate the goodness of the Lord. We are grateful to God for preserving the peace of our nation, despite the fears and apprehension by many people. We conducted ourselves well,” he said and condemned those overzealous supporters who destroyed state property and attacked their opponents after the declaration of the election results.

Nana Akufo-Addo used the occasion to thank the people who, in their diverse ways, contributed to his success in the face of numerous challenges.

He said despite the challenges, the party set out with unwavering conviction, and worked tirelessly to secure victory, and thanked the campaign team for its sterling performance.

“My personal journey to this day has been over four decades, working shoulder-to-shoulder with patriots and nationalists for democracy for the country. The journey was not easy. The road has been rough, the valleys were deep, and the mountains were steep. We tumbled many times along the way, but we kept our focus.

“We never lost hope. We learnt for each mistake and we soldiered on with the belief that in God’s own time, we will get there, better prepared. We took courage and worked with the full knowledge that the battle was the Lord’s,” he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo acknowledged the party’s loyal companions who could not live long enough to witness the party’s victory, and thanked them for their support.

He said the sad death of former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama and many other party faithful, would forever be remembered.

“It is heartbreaking that Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, my childhood friend, is not here by my side today to savour the moment; it is difficult to accept that Adams Mahama, the dynamic chairman of the NPP in the Upper East Region, is not here with us, it is tragic that my cousin and political neighbour, J.B Dankwa Adu, is not here with us; it is sad that Peter Wiafe Preprah is not here, it is painful that the young bright hardworking and cheerful Kwabena Boadu is not here with us, and that Abubakar Sadiq should miss this occasion. We remember them and many others,” he said.

The Rev Canon Nelson of the Ridge Church, in a sermon, advised the incoming president to “exhibit servant leadership” on assuming office on January 7.

By Kingsley Asare and Yaw Kyei