Mahama Vows Strong Second Term, Unveils 10,000-Bed UG Hostel and Accra–Kumasi Expressway Plans

President John Dramani Mahama says he is fully aware of the high expectations Ghanaians have placed on him in his second coming and has pledged not to disappoint.

Speaking on January 6 at the 77th Annual New Year School and Conference hosted by the University of Ghana in Accra, the President said his renewed mandate would be used to deliver lasting economic and governance reforms that future governments would find difficult to reverse.

“This is why I have decided to make this second mandate, so graciously granted to me by Ghanaians, truly count. I am determined to raise our economy and governance to a level that no succeeding government can undo,” he stated.

The conference, themed “Building the Ghana We Want, Together for Sustainable Development,” brought together policymakers and academics to deliberate on the country’s development path.

Touching on security and democratic stability in the West African sub-region, President Mahama stressed the need for Ghana to set a positive example at a time when democratic values are under threat in parts of the region.

“In a region where democracy is backsliding, we must prove that democracy works and that our people can trust their leaders to protect their interests and create opportunities for shared prosperity,” he said.

The President assured Ghanaians that the economic gains recorded over the past 12 months would be sustained, adding that fiscal discipline would not be compromised, even as the country approaches the 2028 election year.

“I can assure Ghanaians that we will not relax the current fiscal discipline and efficient management of the economy, even in an election year,” he emphasized.

In a major announcement, President Mahama revealed plans to construct a 10,000-bed student hostel at the University of Ghana to address long-standing accommodation challenges. He described the project as critical to improving student safety and strengthening tertiary education infrastructure.

According to him, the hostel project is the result of a bilateral agreement signed during a recent official visit to Singapore. The facility will be built using prefabricated technology, where components are manufactured off-site and assembled on campus.

“This is going to be a prefabricated building. The components will be manufactured elsewhere and assembled right here on campus,” the President explained, adding that preparations are already advanced, with machinery for the manufacturing factory currently being shipped from Singapore to Accra.

He linked the project to growing concerns about student safety, noting that many students have been forced to live far off-campus due to limited accommodation. The President referenced a recent social media post by Professor Kweku Azar, which highlighted how student housing has shifted from being readily available in the past to becoming a major ordeal today.

The housing shortage, he said, has become a serious safety issue, citing incidents where students commuting from distant private residences were involved in road accidents or fell victim to armed robberies.

“It is preferable that as many of our students as possible live on campus or very close to campus,” President Mahama said, adding that the University’s Vice-Chancellor had already been briefed on the initiative.

The hostel project forms part of the President’s “Reset Agenda” and aligns with his broader 2026 vision, which he has described as a year of “acceleration and expansion.” In his 2026 New Year message, Mahama pledged to continue digitalising schools and delivering world-class education to every child, with the new hostel standing as a tangible commitment to the tertiary sector.

On infrastructure, the President also addressed concerns about the Accra–Kumasi highway, describing the traffic situation between Ghana’s two largest cities as unacceptable.

“Accra is the biggest city, Kumasi is the next biggest city, and the traffic between these two cities is a shame,” he remarked.

He assured Ghanaians that he plans to cut sod for the Accra–Kumasi Expressway early this year, as part of his “Big Push” infrastructure agenda.