Full text: Akufo-Addo's speech to mark 2024 Constitution Day
Source: myjoyonline

By common consent, all well-meaning Ghanaians have agreed that the democratic form of governance is the most preferable, and we must do everything possible to guarantee the longevity of the 4th Republic. I have spent my adult life fighting for our individual and collective rights, and it is, therefore, gratifying to note that the nation's adherence to democracy has not waned. We know that there are no quick fixes to the challenges confronting us, and, as we have seen in recent times, democratic structures of governance are capable of accommodating the most difficult of circumstances. We have, happily, turned the corner on our economic situation, as we experience the rebound of the national economy, and we will continue to work strongly on the problems facing the nation, knowing that the solution, every four years, rests, in part, on the sovereign will of the Ghanaian people, when you exercise your power to choose freely your leaders to manage the affairs of the country. Democracies are grounded on viable elections, and, this year, like we have done on eight other preceding occasions, we will go to the polls to elect the President and my successor. No true democrat can disregard the importance of elections and the sanctity of the ballot. It must, thus, be in our collective interest to ensure that the rules and regulations for the conduct of this year's elections are fair and transparent and that we all develop respect for them, respect that should not be a function of whether you win or lose. All stakeholders, that is the Electoral Commission, the political parties and their leaders, the electorate and the citizenry, should work to ensure the consolidation of Ghanaian democracy, and help us maintain our pride of place on the continent as a model of democracy in Africa. At the end of it all, there should be no lingering doubt about the legitimacy of the election, and the winning candidates, at the conclusion of the process, should receive the unalloyed support of all. That is how we can strengthen our democracy and the peace and stability of our nation. On a lighter note, three years on, I am still waiting for my main opponent in the 2020 elections to congratulate me on my victory. I swore an oath on 7th January 2017 and, again, four years later, on 7th January 2021, to be faithful and true to the Republic of Ghana, and preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. I shall continue to do just that. It will not be under my watch that any adventurer will seek to torpedo the democratic path on which we are embarked. I will help see to it that we have a free, fair and transparent election in December 2024. You have my word! Ghana will be the victor of such an outcome, not any individual party or candidate. Nonetheless, I urge you, my fellow Ghanaians, to continue to embrace the basic values of the Constitution, founded on the principles of democratic accountability and respect for the rule of law, human rights and individual liberty and freedom, which the great majority of us believe must form the bedrock of our national development and individual prosperity. Yet alongside this freedom, we must, with the same passion and commitment, uphold our individual and collective responsibility to contribute proactively toward the greater good of society. This is the vision of a free society. No society can be truly free unless its citizens feel the need to embrace both liberty and duty, hard work and compassion. Ghana is considered a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, and the celebration of Constitution Day should inspire us, Ghanaians, even further, to hold on to this enviable status. Once again, I thank Almighty God, and, you, the Ghanaian people, for giving me the opportunity to serve you these past seven years. I have not taken it lightly. I remain committed to the mandate you freely gave me, and will use the last year of my stay in office to do all in my power to continue to help create a free and prosperous nation of opportunities for all. The Battle is the Lord's!!