The Institute of Financial Ned Economic Journalists wishes to congratulate, John Dramani Mahama on his investiture as president of the Republic of Ghana. Having become the immediate heir to the throne following the death of President John Evans Atta Mills who maintained a high sense of nationalism and integrity, it is expected that President Mahama will follow through with the development agenda that the late president envisioned, and where necessary amend it to meet the challenges of our times. These include infrastructure development, affordable housing for workers, completing and implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit system among other development agenda. All projects initiated should be continued and the President should continue to think outside the box and have the courage to implement seemingly difficult decisions and turn-key projects. For example, there is an urgent need for interchanges at the Motorway Roundabout at Tema, the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and Obetsebi Lamptey Circle. Other areas such as the Ridge Roundabout and the many other intersections on the George Walker Bush Highway, all need overpasses. Another critical area is affordable housing for which little has been achieved in the last eight to 10 years. IFEJ urges the president to again exercise courage to engage, first, the local real estate industry to construct thousands of high-rise affordable housing to ease pressure in the housing market. IFEJ recognises the gains made by government in the last four years but complacency must not set in as there is yet more to be done to enhance the robustness of Ghana’s economy. Fiscal deficit is still high, labour productivity is low and revenue leakages have not been adequately dealt with. These are all areas that should engage the attention of President Mahama as he prosecutes his vision for the next four years. Modernising agriculture should be taken to another level with the provision of improved seedling, good credit system, tractors and combined harvesters and above all storage and processing facilities so the farmers can get value for their labour. Finally the attention that the issue of free and quality education engaged political party leadership during the electioneering is ample testimony that not enough has been done in this direction. President Mahama must, therefore, take a closer look at his plans on education and complement the quality of classrooms being put with the quality of teachers who teach. This is to ensure that investment in the infrastructure provides the best qualitative result. Issued in Accra: Jan 7, 2013 Signed: Lloyd Evans, President, IFEJ