Ghana: White House announces four-member delegation for Mahama’s inauguration

According to a statement from the White House, the four-member delegation to Ghana will be led by Shalanda D. Young, Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget.

Other members of the delegation include Virginia E. Palmer, the US Ambassador to Ghana; Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles, California; and Frances Z. Brown, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the White House’s National Security Council.

The inauguration ceremony, set to take place at the iconic Black Star Square in Accra on January 7, 2025, marks a historic comeback for John Dramani Mahama following his decisive victory in Ghana’s December 7 elections.

The former president defeated incumbent Nana Akufo-Addo, paving the way for his return to the Jubilee House after being voted out in 2017.

The White House had previously extended its congratulations to Mahama shortly after his victory was announced.

The congratulatory message, issued on behalf of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was signed by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

President-elect, John Mahama’s focus is on reviving Ghana’s economy, which he believes has suffered over the past eight years.

During his campaign, Mahama’s primary message was centred on reviving Ghana’s struggling economy and tackling unemployment.

In an interview with VOA, he discussed his plans for job creation, school reform, and preserving the environment while allowing small-scale miners to make a living.

“All the opinion polls showed the economy and employment were the most critical issues. So, we focused our message on job creation and economic recovery, and eventually, it paid off.”

“If the economy is in a bad way, it affects education, agriculture, sports, it affects every sector of the country. So, we’re going to have to be dealing with stabilizing the economy.” he said.

The United States is Ghana’s largest bilateral development partner, investing over $145 million annually through USAID in agriculture, health, education, energy, and governance programs.

The U.S. is also a key trading partner, with trade exceeding $1.2 billion.

American investment remains robust, with 37 U.S. companies making new investments in Ghana over five years and 79 trade deals worth $800 million in the past year.

Ghana is also one of 13 African nations in the State Partnership Program, fostering collaboration between its armed forces and a U.S. state’s National Guard.