President John Dramani Mahama ended his State of the Nation Address with a strong appeal for unity, accountability and collective responsibility, declaring that Ghana’s future rests firmly in the hands of its people.

Addressing the Parliament of Ghana, President Mahama reflected on a recent diplomatic episode during his trip to Zambia, where what he described as a misrepresentation of Ghana’s culture on social media was swiftly corrected through a coordinated national effort.

“A simple mislabeling of our culture could have reduced us to a punchline.

Instead, we moved with speed and confidence.

We corrected the record,” he said, noting that the moment evolved into a “handshake of friendship” between Ghana and Zambia rather than a source of ridicule.

The President said the episode demonstrated Ghana’s understanding of its national brand and the power of unity when citizens rally around a shared identity.

However, he cautioned that unity during moments of cultural pride must also extend to periods of political disagreement.

“If we can mobilise that same collective resolve for our development agenda, we will see real progress,” he stated.

President Mahama emphasised that while ultimate responsibility for governance rests with him, nation-building requires the contribution of every Ghanaian.

“In public life, there is a simple maxim: the buck stops with the President.

I not only agree with this; I live by it,” he declared, adding that he would never shirk that duty.

He stressed, however, that national development is driven by a chain of effort — from policy formulation to implementation — and ultimately by the daily work of farmers, traders, teachers, artisans and entrepreneurs across the country.

While pledging to carry the weight of final accountability, the President urged citizens to contribute their “energy, skill and patriotism” to the common task of advancing the nation.

He warned against allowing misrepresentation and distortion to distract from Ghana’s development goals, urging Ghanaians to guard their progress as firmly as they guard their identity.

In a reflective tone, President Mahama invoked an African proverb: “However long the night, the dawn will break,” describing Ghana as standing at the threshold of renewal.

“The dawn is breaking for Ghana,” he said, stressing that renewal must be built deliberately into institutions, the economy and the national ethic of responsibility passed on to future generations.

He concluded by asserting that Ghana’s strength lies in its people’s resilience and refusal to surrender in the face of adversity.

“The State of our Nation is resilient, the state of our nation is renewing, and our nation is firmly in the hands of its people,” President Mahama declared, drawing applause from members of the House.