Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia, addresses the 2008 United Methodist General Conference on April 29 in Fort Worth, Texas. Sirleaf is a United Methodist and the first female head of state in Africa. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Photo #GC0380. April 29, 2008.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has congratulated Ghana for a peaceful election and transfer of power.

Speaking on behalf of ECOWAS Saturday during the inauguration of President Nana Akufo-Addo, the fifth president of the fourth republic, in Ghana,  Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the president of Liberia congratulated the “people of Ghana for once again making the region proud.”

“Today marks a historic day in the ECOWAS community and Africa as a whole as we witness another democratic transition in the republic of Ghana. Today, we witness the completion of a democratic process of peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another,” she said.

“You Ghanaians make us proud,” she declared, adding, “after hard fought campaigns, you have put differences aside and come together as one people to celebrate this victory.”

She added: “we must remember that this event (President Akufo-Addo’s inauguration) is the fruit of many many years of labour. Democracy is the food of the sacrifice of many generations and must not be taken for granted.”

In his maiden speech at his inauguration, President Akufo-Addo vowed to protect Ghana’s public purse by “insisting on value for money in all transaction.”

“Public service is just that; it is not an avenue for making money,” he added.

He said he was humbled by the “exceptional mandate and the extraordinary” show of confidence that the Ghanaian people conferred on him and that he would seek counselling from all and sundry in order to better the lives of Ghanaians.