Presidents of Ghana

"For centuries, Europeans dominated the African continent. The white man arrogated to himself the right to rule and to be obeyed by the non-white; his mission, he claimed, was to "civilize" Africa. Under this cloak, the Europeans robbed the continent of vast riches and inflicted unimaginable suffering on the African people."

"Capitalism is too complicated a system for a newly independent nation. Hence the need for a socialistic society."

"Together as one*"

"Just as in the days of the Egyptians, so today God had ordained that certain among the African race should journey westwards to equip themselves with knowledge and experience for the day when they would be called upon to return to their motherland and to use the learning they had acquired to help improve the lot of their brethren. ...I had not realized at the time that I would contribute so much towards the fulfillment of this prophecy."

"We cannot tell our peoples that material benefits in growth and modern progress are not for them. If we do, they will throw us out and seek other leaders who promise more … We have to modernize. Either we shall do so with the interest and support of the West or we shall be compelled to turn elsewhere. This is not a warning or a threat, but a straight statement of political reality."

"To the true African journalist, his newspaper is a collective organizer, a collective instrument of mobilization and a collective educator—a weapon, first and foremost, to overthrow colonialism and imperialism and to assist total African independence and unity."

"We in Ghana, are committed to the building of an industrialized socialist society. We cannot afford to sit still and be mere passive onlookers. We must ourselves take part in the pursuit of scientific and technological research as a means of providing the basis for our socialist society, Socialism without science is void. … We need also to reach out to the mass of the people who have not had the opportunities of formal education. We must use every means of mass communication – the press, the radio, television and films – to carry science to the whole population – to the people. ... It is most important that our people should not only be instructed in science but that they should take part in it, apply it themselves in their own ways. For science is not just a subject to be learned out of a book or form a teacher. It is a way of life, a way of tackling any problem which one can only master by using it for oneself. We must have science clubs in which our people can develop their own talents for discovery and invention."

"We know that the traditional African society was founded on principles of egalitarianism. In its actual workings, however, it had various shortcomings. Its humanist impulse, nevertheless, is something that continues to urge us towards our all-African socialist reconstruction. We postulate each man to be an end in himself, not merely a means; and we accept the necessity of guaranteeing each man equal opportunities for his development. The implications of this for socio-political practice have to be worked out scientifically, and the necessary social and economic policies pursued with resolution. Any meaningful humanism must begin from egalitarianism and must lead to objectively chosen policies for safeguarding and sustaining egalitarianism. Hence, socialism. Hence, also, ."

"Capitalism is a development by refinement from feudalism just as feudalism is a development by refinement from slavery. … Capitalism is but the gentleman's method of slavery."

"The difference between myself and Castro is that I am not aligned and he is; I am a socialist and he is a communist."

"The independence of Ghana is meaningless until it is linked to the total liberation of Africa."

"I am not African because I was born in Africa but because Africa was born in me."

"As long as we are ruled by others we shall lay our mistakes at their door, and our sense of responsibility will remain dulled. Freedom brings responsibilities, and our experience can be enriched only by the acceptance of these responsibilities."

"Seek ye first the political kingdom and all things shall be added unto you."

"Never in the history of the world has an alien ruler granted self-rule to a people on a silver platter."

"" We face neither East nor West; we face forward.” Source: “Kwame Nkrumah: The Conakry Years,” by June Milne."

"" The independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the African continent.” Source: “Africa Must Unite,” by Kwame Nkrumah."

""It is far better to be free to govern or misgovern yourself than to be governed by anybody else.” Source: “I Speak of Freedom: A Statement of African Ideology,” by Kwame Nkrumah."

"of the analysis of facts and events, and this kind of evaluation is, I feel, as good a starting point of the inquiry into the relations between philosophy and society as any other. Philosophy, in understanding human society, call for an analysis of facts and events, and an attempt to see how they fit into human life, and so how they make up human experience. In this way, philosophy, like history, can come to enrich, indeed to define, the experience of man."

"A colonial student does not by origin belong to the intellectual history in which the university philosophers are such impressive landmarks. The colonial student can be so seduced by these attempts to give a philosophical account of the universe, that surrenders his whole personality to them. When he does this, he loses sight of the fundamental social fact that he is a colonial subject. In this way, he omits to draw from his education and from the concern displayed by the great philosophers for human problems, anything which he might relate to the very real problem of colonial domination, which, as it happens, conditions the immediate life of every colonized African."

"With single-minded devotion, the colonial student meanders through the intricacies of the philosophical systems. And yet these systems did aim at providing a philosophical account of the world in the circumstances and conditions of their time. For even philosophical systems are facts of history. By the time, however, that they come to be accepted in the universities for exposition, they have lost the vital power which they had at their first statement, they have shed their dynamism and polemic reference. This is a result of the academic treatment which they are given. The academic treatment is the result of an attitude to philosophical systems as though there was nothing to them but statements standing in logical relation to one another."

"This defective approach to scholarship was suffered by different categories of colonial student. Many of them had been handpicked and, so to say, carried certificates of worthiness with them. These were considered fit to become enlightened servants of the colonial administration. The process by which this category of student became fit usually started at an early age, for not infrequently they had lost contact early in life with their traditional background. By reason of their lack of contact with their own roots, they became prone to accept some theory of universalism, provided it was expressed in vague, mellifluous terms. Armed with their universalism, they carried away from their university courses an attitude entirely at variance with the concrete reality of their people and their struggle."

"When they came across doctrines of a combative nature, like those of Marxism, they reduced them to arid abstractions, to common-room subtleties. In this way, through the good graces of their colonialist patrons, these students, now competent in the art of forming not a concrete environmental view of social political problems, but an abstract, 'liberal' outlook, began to fulfil the hopes and expectations of their guides and guardians."

"There were the vast numbers of ordinary Africans, who, animated by a lively , sought knowledge as an instrument of national emancipation and integrity. This is not to say that these Africans overlooked the purely cultural value of their studies. But in order that their cultural acquisition should be valuable, they needed to be capable of appreciating it as free men."

"The critical study of the philosophies of the past should lead to the study of modern theories. For these latter, born of the fire of contemporary struggles, are militant and alive."

"It is not only the study of philosophy which can become perverted. The study of history too can become warped. The colonized African student, whose roots in his own society are systematically starved of sustenance, is introduced to Greek and Roman history, the cradle history of modern Europe, and he is encouraged to treat this portion of the story of man together with the subsequent as the only worthwhile portion. This history is anointed with a universalist flavouring which titillates the palate of certain African intellectuals so agreeably that they become alienated from their own immediate society."

"I learnt to see philosophical systems in the context of the social milieu which produced them. I therefore learnt to look for social contention in philosophical systems. It is of course possible to see the history of philosophy in diverse ways, each way of seeing it being in fact an illumination of the type of problem dealt with in this branch of human thought. It is possible, for instance, to look upon philosophy as a series of abstract systems. When philosophy is so seen, even moral philosophers, with regrettable coyness, say that their preoccupation has nothing to do with life. They say that their concern is not to name moral principles or to improve anybody's character, but narrowly to elucidate the meaning of terms used in ethical discourse, and to determine the status of moral principles and ru1es, as regards the obligation which they impose upon us. When philosophy is regarded in the light of a series of abstract systems, it can be said to concern itself with two fundamental questions: first, the question 'what there is'; second, the question how 'what there is' may be explained. The answer to the first question has a number of aspects. It lays down a minimum number of general under which every item in the world can and must be brought. It does this without naming the items themselves, without furnishing us with an inventory, a roll-call of the items, the objects in the world. It specifies, not particu1ar objects, but the basic types of object. The answer further implies a certain reductionism; for in naming only a few basic types as exhausting all objects in the world, it brings object directly under one of the basic types."

"The neo-colonialism of today represents imperialism in its final and perhaps its most dangerous stage."

"The essence of neo-colonialism is that the State which is subject to it is, in theory, independent and has all the outward trappings of international sovereignty. In reality its economic system and thus its political policy is directed from outside."

"The result of neo-colonialism is that foreign capital is used for the exploitation rather than for the development of the less developed parts of the world. Investment under neo-colonialism increases rather than decreases the gap between the rich and the poor countries of the world."

"Neo-colonialism is also the worst form of imperialism. For those who practise it, it means power without responsibility and for those who suffer from it, it means exploitation without redress. In the days of old-fashioned colonialism, the imperial power had at least to explain and justify at home the actions it was taking abroad. In the colony those who served the ruling imperial power could at least look to its protection against any violent move by their opponents. With neo-colonialism neither is the case."

"The post-war period inaugurated a very different colonial policy. A deliberate attempt was made to divert colonial earnings from the wealthy class and use them instead generally to finance the ‘Welfare State’. As will be seen from the examples given later, this was the method consciously adopted even by those working-class leaders who had before the war regarded the colonial peoples as their natural allies against their capitalist enemies at home."

"Neo-colonialism is based upon the principle of breaking up former large united colonial territories into a number of small non-viable States which are incapable of independent development and must rely upon the former imperial power for defence and even internal security. Their economic and financial systems are linked, as in colonial days, with those of the former colonial ruler."

"The introduction of neo-colonialism increases the rivalry between the great powers which was provoked by the old-style colonialism. However little real power the government of a neo-colonialist State may possess, it must have, from the very fact of its nominal independence, a certain area of manoeuvre. It may not be able to exist without a neo-colonialist master but it may still have the ability to change masters."

"Once multilateral aid begins the neo-colonialist masters are f aced by the hostility of the vested interests in their own country. Their manufacturers naturally object to any attempt to raise the price of the raw materials which they obtain from the neo-colonialist territory in question, or to the establishment there of manufacturing industries which might compete directly or indirectly with their own exports to the territory. Even education is suspect as likely to produce a student movement and it is, of course, true that in many less developed countries the students have been in the vanguard of the fight against neo-colonialism."

"The less developed world will not become developed through the goodwill or generosity of the developed powers. It can only become developed through a struggle against the external forces which have a vested interest in keeping it undeveloped."

"Foremost among the neo-colonialists is the United States, which has long exercised its power in Latin America. Fumblingly at first she turned towards Europe, and then with more certainty after world war two when most countries of that continent were indebted to her. Since then, with methodical thoroughness and touching attention to detail, the Pentagon set about consolidating its ascendancy, evidence of which can be seen all around the world."

"Today the need both to maintain a welfare state, i.e. a parasite State at home, and to support a huge and ever-growing burden of armament cost makes it absolutely essential for developed capitalist countries to secure the maximum return in profit from such parts of the international financial complex as they control."

"The only effective way to challenge this economic empire and to recover possession of our heritage, is for us to act on a Pan-African basis, through a Union Government."

"Always be the servant of the people."

"The guerrilla is the masses in arms."

"The modifications introduced by imperialism in its strategy were expressed: (a) through the disappearance of the numerous old-fashioned "colonies" owing exclusive allegiance to a single metropolitan country. (b) through the replacement of "national" imperialisms by a "collective" imperialism in which the USA occupies a leading position."

"The principle of mutual inter-imperialist assistance whereby American, British, French and West German monopoly capital extends joint control over the wealth of the non-liberated zones of Africa, Latin America and Asia, finds concrete expression in the formation of interlocked international financial institutions and bodies of credit."

"A state can be said to be a neo-colonialist or client state if it is independent de jure and dependent de facto. It is a state where political power lies in the conservative forces of the former colony and where economic power remains under the control of international finance capital."

"The three essential components of neo-colonialism are: 1. Economic exploitation 2. Puppet governments and client states 3. Military assistance 4. Economic "aid.""

"I prefer freedom in danger than servitude in tranquility"

"On the face of it, the sustained economic decline that soon set in in Ghana after independence from Britain was caused by ignorance. The British economist Tony Killick, then working as an adviser for the government of Kwame Nkrumah, recorded many of the problems in great detail. Nkrumah’s policies focused on developing state industry, which turned out to be very inefficient. Killick recalled: "The footwear factory … that would have linked the meat factory in the North through transportation of the hides to the South (for a distance of over 500 miles) to a tannery (now abandoned); the leather was to have been backhauled to the footwear factory in Kumasi, in the center of the country and about 200 miles north of the tannery. Since the major footwear market is in the Accra metropolitan area, the shoes would then have to be transported an additional 200 miles back to the South." Killick somewhat understatedly remarks that this was an enterprise “whose viability was undermined by poor siting.” The footwear factory was one of many such projects, joined by the mango canning plant situated in a part of Ghana which did not grow mangos and whose output was to be more than the entire world demand for the product. This endless stream of economically irrational developments was not caused by the fact that Nkrumah or his advisers were badly informed or ignorant of the right economic policies. They had people like Killick and had even been advised by Nobel laureate Sir Arthur Lewis, who knew the policies were not good. What drove the form the economic policies took was the fact that Nkrumah needed to use them to buy political support and sustain his undemocratic regime. Neither Ghana’s disappointing performance after independence nor the countless other cases of apparent economic mismanagement can simply be blamed on ignorance. After all, if ignorance were the problem, well-meaning leaders would quickly learn what types of policies increased their citizens’ incomes and welfare, and would gravitate toward those policies."

"I haven't dared go back to Ghana because my experience there was so precious that I don't want to risk spoiling it. I got so much health and stability from that country, and the people, the way it was with Kwame Nkrumah. He was deposed and subsequently killed, and I haven't wanted to go back."

"The only leader I truly admired was Kwame Nkrumah because he had a certain charisma, a great understanding of politics, and a dramatic flair. He knew how to provide what people expected from a leader. I felt a lot of admiration for him and was quite disturbed when he fled to Guinea under such sad circumstances."

"big business in America, surprised by the success of the Ghana revolution set itself to influence Nkrumah. Nkrumah was invited to the United States in 1958, and treated as never a Negro had been treated by the government. Hershey, a great manufacturer of chocolate, sent a special plane to take him to his factories; and the New York Cocoa Board of Trade dined him at the Waldorf-Astoria."

"Stop using COVID-19 vaccination as immigration control against Africans."

"‘Sika mmpɛ dede’ means 'money does not like noise'"

"Be citizens not spectators"

"All die be die"

"We know what to do to bring the economy back to life, but not how to bring people back to life"

"Just as technology offers opportunities to grow our economies and bring progress to our people, there are criminal syndicates who will always be bent on exploiting it for their selfish interests. They have to be relentlessly fought."

"Let us all remember that the destiny of all black people no matter where they are in the world is bound up with Africa. We must help make Africa the place for investment, progress, and prosperity and not from where our youth flee in the hope of accessing the mirage of a better life in Europe or the Americas."

"We want to build a Ghana beyond aid; a Ghana which looks to the use of its own resources. We want to build an economy that is not dependent on charity and handouts, but an economy that will look at the proper management of its resources as the way to engineer social and economic growth in our country."

"I shall protect the public purse by insisting on value for money in all public transactions. Public service is just that — service and not an avenue for making money. Money is to be made in the private sector, not the public. Measures will be put in place to ensure this"

"Where I am and how old I am at least, this is not the time I will start stealing anybody's wealth"

"We must be defined by what we see in ourselves, and not what others choose to say about us."

"Democracies are founded on elections, and the holding of free and credible elections ensure that people have confidence in the government that emerges at the end of the process"

"I will not let you, the people of Ghana down"

"We should learn and accept that we do not own the land, but hold it in trust for future generations"

""We can, indeed, build a Ghana Beyond Aid"."

"The battle is the Lord’s, and I know that ultimately, it is He who will give us victory."

"After 60 years of independence, we no longer has an excuse for being poor."

""Yes, we are a continent rich in potential and resilient in the face of adversity, but we have also been disadvantaged by a global system that has generally treated us as an afterthought”"

"Bear in mind that formal education is not just about securing excellent academic grades."

"We must eat what we grow to motivate our farmers and support the development of the local food industry."

"The Ghanaian people deserve a government that has a vision for the country, and a plan for how to get there."

"Ghana is ready for business again"

"Be curious, compassionate and resilient because the country look up to you as scholars but also as ambassadors of the nation’s potential in endangering progress, prosperity and development."

"the journey ahead requires vision and responsibility. 5G is a powerful catalyst for shaping Ghana's future"

"We must address concerns around data privacy, cybersecurity, and responsible use to ensure that 5G fosters progress, not division"

"I don't want to hand over power to someone who cannot do the job, God will not even allow it. Bawumia is the perfect person to take over from me"

"t is always a great pleasure to be in the company of Organised Labor on the occasion of the International Workers Day of Solidarity, May Day. Ghanaian workers, ayekoo."

"If Ghanaians want someone to attest to Dr Bawumia’s qualities, I am the best person because I have worked closely with him. I know he is truthful and has Ghana’s progress at heart. If you come to the Jubilee House late at night, you will only see two lights on, and these are our office lights—myself and Dr Bawumia."

"No amount of money will ever make up for the horrors but it will make the point that evil was perpetuated – that millions of productive Africans were snatched from our continent and put to work in the Americans and Caribbean’s without compensations from their labor"

"Grand inhumane enterprise was state-sponsored and deliberate and its benefits are clearly interwoven in the present-day economic architecture of the nations that designed and executed it"

"If there is any hesitation in some minds about the paying of reparations, it is worth considering the fact that when slavery was abolished, the slave owners were compensated for the loss of the slave because human beings were labelled as property deemed to be commodities. Surely, this is a matter that the world must confront and can no longer ignore"

"Maybe we should also admit that it cannot be easy to build confident and prosperous societies from nations that from centuries have their natural resources looted and their people traded as commodities"

"For centuries, the world has been unwilling and unable to confront the realities of the realities of consequences of the slave trade but gradually this is changing and it is time to bring the subject of reparations firmly to the fore"

"It is time to acknowledge openly that much of the European, United States has been from the vast wealth harvested from the sweat, tears, blood and horrors of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the centuries of colonial exploitation"

"He is “a Pan AfricanI am not in politics for wealth or personal gain, anti-corruption crusader, a rare democratic leader in the field of good governance, a true African Statesman whose legacies present African leaders must emulate, and we are minded to say will stand the test of time.""

""I am not in politics for wealth or personal gain. I am here to serve the people and to work towards a Ghana Beyond Aid"."

"“We give thanks to the Almighty God for the peaceful nature of the process, which allowed the sovereign will of the Ghanaian people to be manifest,”"

"“The exercise has once again reaffirmed Ghana’s enviable standing as the beacon of democracy on the African continent,”"

"“It is with deep concern that I acknowledge the unfortunate incident of post-election hooliganism, vandalism, and violence that followed,”"

"“From transformative policies in education, health, agriculture, industry and infrastructure to the promotion of good governance and economic development, I am confident in all humility that posterity will judge well the Akuffo-Addo government’s performance,”"

"“Future generations will look back on this era and say that we laid a strong foundation for progress and prosperity,”"

"“As President of the Republic, I have been privileged to witness the power of faith at work in the lives of our people and the teacher who sacrifices for his or her students, the farmer who labour’s for a bountiful harvest and the health worker who serves with compassion and courage,”"

"“I commend greatly, the Electoral Commission (EC) for its diligent and transparent efforts in supervising the electoral process and in compiling and delivering the results of the elections."

"“Let this moment serve as a reminder to all of us that Ghana’s democratic credentials are a shared heritage, one that we must all protect and cherish at all times,”"

"My vision has always been to see a Ghana that is self reliant, prosperous and united—a beacon of hope, democracy and opportunity in Africa and beyond. That vision remains undimmed, and I am confident that the strides we have made together will propel Ghana to even greater heights."

"I am happy to report that our country’s territorial integrity is intact and all our borders are secure."

"I am glad that we have removed from the Ghanaian mindset the belief that secondary school education is only for people from certain households and families."

"You must let others praise you instead of praising yourself"

"When you stop sleeping, you'll hear clearly my position on Free SHS"

"We are enjoying in Africa what I call the democracy dividend. The progress we are seeing, economic development are all part of the dividend of good governance, respect for human rights, rule of law."

"You can only have money in your pocket if you work and earn. Nobody is going to come to your house and say put this in your pocket. You have to come out and take the opportunity that presents themselves"

"I will not elevate Bawumia to my level by debating him. He should go and debate the people of Ghana and apologize to them. I know my level."

"I have seen more demonstrations and strikes in my first two years. I don't think it can get worse. It is said that when you kill a goat and you frighten it with a knife, it doesn't fear the knife because it is dead already."

"This is the saddest day in our nation’s history. Tears have engulfed our nation and we are deeply saddened and distraught and I’m personally devastated, I’ve lost a father, I’ve lost a friend, I’ve lost a mentor and a senior comrade. Ghana is united in grief at this time for our departed president"

"Certainly, one thing we can’t run away from is that, he Nkrumah is the founder of our nation. He led the independence struggle. Many people contributed and it happens; in Christianity, there is John the Baptist, there are all the apostles, but who is the champion of Christianity, Jesus Christ."

"With the kind of progress we are seeing in Africa, we have people who have a very high expectation, and often people think that, you know, things would happen overnight. But I want people to understand that sometimes it even gets worse before it gets better""

"“Happily, there’s a reversal of the brain drain occurring in Ghana now. We’re seeing a lot of – actually in Africa – we’re seeing a lot of African professionals, you know, returning to the continent to contribute their quota.”"

"I am still a socialist. I am a left-of-center politician. I believe that in Africa, if you see the poverty around us, you can't afford to be anything else."

"“By God’s grace, we picked number 8. So, some people say they are going to break the 8. The eight is with me, let them come and break the eight and let me see,”"

"“We remember how in 2016, drivers—taxi drivers, trotro drivers—formed an association called ‘Drivers for Change.’ They demonstrated, parking their cars in the middle of the roads. When asked about their problem, they said, ‘Mahama, fuel prices are too high,’ and our brothers in the NPP told them that when they came into power, they would reduce fuel prices. Today, fuel price is 70 cedis per gallon, compared to 14 cedis when they were making those promises. Where is the relief they promised,""

""Ghana is bleeding. Ghana's soul is crying for change! Mother Ghana is crying for its true and genuine patriotic citizens to rise to reset our beloved nation"."

"I’m affirming my commitment to root out the canker of corruption. One of our tools to combat corruption, and make it a high-risk endeavor for any person, Operation Recover All the Loot, will investigate, and prosecute the persons involved in corruption, using both local and foreign expertise to achieve this objective"

"This election is about the economy, stupid. It is not about all those other useless things about who built how many compost plants"

"We must flip the coin from competition to cooperation, we need cooperation to build a better Ghana and NDC. I am, therefore calling for cooperation among all elected parliamentary candidates and your aspirants and supporters"

"We are in the midst of change. And change can often feel uncomfortable, especially as it pulls us away from the systems and practices with which we have become familiar, but are no longer serving our needs efficiently."

"If you resort to violence, it is the same people you are coming to govern. and so, I don't think that even a single drop of any Ghanaian blood is worth political power or coming into office."

"As we go into another election, there is often a general sense of apprehension that something will go wrong. As a member of your church, I can assure you and pledge that I am a person of peace, and if there is any violence, it won’t come from me. I will do everything to ensure that Ghana remains peaceful."

"As I stated during my JohnMahamaLive virtual event some weeks ago, extraordinary times require extraordinary interventions for exceptional results. Ghana is experiencing extraordinary hardships, and the youth are also choking under the yoke of these hardships."

"You don’t need a debate to answer my five simple questions."

"We have the experience to deliver."

"I’m clear in my mind what has to be done to halt increase in prices of food."

"“I have, this morning, received a congratulatory call from my brother Dr @MBawumia, following my emphatic victory in Saturday’s election. Thank you, Ghana.”"

""We want a focal point where all evidence on corruption scandals or misconduct can be directed. ORAL is not investigating individuals but compiling evidence for government agencies tasked with such duties … I don't think that people should think that it's which hunting committee. We have no brooms to fly at night,”"

"“We’ve requested further discussions with the IMF, as we were not part of the negotiations for this programme. We need to ensure that we are all aligned in terms of its implementation,”"

"Today's exercise between the outgoing president, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and I feels a bit like déjà vu. That is because eight years ago to this day, on January 7, 2017, we shared this same space and performed this same transitional exercise. At the time, I was the outgoing president, having served one term, and he was the incoming president, having been given a mandate by the people of Ghana to lead this great nation of ours. He and I both understood on that day, as I'm sure we do today, that it is the people of Ghana that we are elected to serve."

"Nana, as this will be our final meeting under these circumstances, and as I look back on the journey we have traveled together, two much younger men entered Parliament together with a full head of black hair, and you with the same bald head and round eyeglasses, I have to say that you have, without exception, been a worthy opponent."

"I feel greatly honored that you, my compatriots, considered me worthy of receiving such an unprecedented and overwhelming mandate to steer the affairs of our beloved nation at this critical time in our history."

"A true leader is not measured by the number of followers he has, but by the number of leaders he creates."

"...we are going to ensure that there is peace before, during, after the election, because when there is no peace, it’s not the elitists who will suffer, it’s the ordinary people who have elected us into office."

"Let us all work together as one people with a common destiny to build a better Ghana"

"My doors are always open, we’ll make sure to provide the resources and make the necessary contacts. As a Government, we’ll give you the fullest support."

"A nation that does not honor its heroes is not worth dying for."

"I have always said that I will be President for all Ghanaian whether they voted for me or not and without consideration for which part of the country they come from."I"

"I would not spare any government official be it .past or present, who would be found guilty of embezzling state funds."

"My government was elected to serve the nation and would therefore ensure that the nation's wealth, which is not for me or members of my administration is well distributed."

"It is my prayer and hope that we shall continue to preserve and maintain the peace, remain united and focused as people with one destiny"

"It will be my duty as president to heal wonds and unite our dear nation"

"This is the saddest day in our nation's history. Tears have engulfed our nation and we are deeply saddened and distraught. I never imagined that one day that it would place our nation in such a difficult circumstance. I'm personally devastated, I've lost a father, I've lost a friend, I've lost a mentor and a senior comrade. Ghana is united in grief at this time for our departed president."

"President Mills will be remembered for his statesmanship and years of dedicated service to his country."

"I salute the guardian of institutions and the defender of Ghanaian democracy...committed to protecting national unity and profoundly attached to African unity and to the place of Africa within the international community."

"On a personal level his moderation and integrity stood out."

"Strong advocate for human rights and for the fair treatment of all Ghanaians."

"President Mills was a tireless defender of democracy in West Africa and across the continent, and he will be greatly missed."

"His exemplary leadership which endeared him to the hearts of many and his contribution to strengthening the relationship between Ghana and Japan."

"Ghana has lost a great football supporter and a supporter of the development of the game in the country."

"President Atta Mills was an inspiring leader of Ghana and a true Commonwealth champion, who will be sorely missed at home and internationally. He was a strong advocate and supporter of the Commonwealth, and our membership benefited enormously from his active participation in Commonwealth life and his wisdom."

"The late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills was without an iota of doubt a unique African leader."

"‘I will use my last ounce of energy to serve Ghana."

"I nominate you, Rex as the fifth Director, especially as you have been in charge and organising the whole exercise."

"Why have you stayed away from me after the support you had extended to my election?"

"As a leader one cardinal attribute that you should possess is vision. Your vision should lead you to accept that things can be made better, and that you’re prepared with the knowledge you have acquired, consultations with fellow stakeholders, and wisdom that you must have as a leader to make it happen – the betterment of society."

"Ours is not a poor country and even though we are now a poor people, there should be no room for the despondency that has settled on large sections of the population."

"Another problem afflicting higher education is the brain drain of faculty to the more advanced parts of the world. The striking feature of this challenge is that because of poor conditions of service, the faculty is not able to attract young lecturers."

"I didn't go into politics to make money. I just believed there was some mission for me to pursue to better a lot of our society."

"I didn’t reshuffle just for the frequency of it; no. The president’s role is like the coach; not just a team leader. You have to know what your ministers are doing: whether they are being positive or whether they’re just being average when you expect more from them."

"With the population explosion, everybody is expecting something from the centre, and the centre not being able to provide; this compounds the corruption …there is a ground of unhappiness and of protest. I’m hopeful that along the way, corruption might be tackled effectively and hopefully government should be more accountable."

"When those put in charge of running the affairs of state get it wrong, we must have the courage, the humanity and the selflessness to say so. That is our patriotic duty"

"It is time to make sure that there is true separation of powers in our arms of government."

"I will provide vision and direction."