The Eminent West Africa Nobles Forum (WANF) has expressed hope that President John Dramani Mahama's administration will bring immense development, progress, prosperity and peace, to Ghana, the West Africa sub-region and Africa as a whole.

The group noted that his ascension to the highest office, marked another opportunity for Ghanaians to unite and collectively put their shoulders to the wheel to continue with the good works of their predecessors towards development and progress of the country and the sub-region.

The WANF in a congratu­latory message, signed by its President-General, Nana (Dr.) Ap­piagyei Dankawoso I, copied, the Ghanaian Times, in Accra, said: "As you have promised of forming a lean government and prioritis­ing integrity and accountability in governance, it is our hope that your government will be able to confront the enormous challenges that Ghana and the sub-region face." The statement noted that the attendance of distinguished per­sonalities, including some leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other African countries, at President Mahama's inauguration in Accra on January 7, 2025, was a manifestation of his desire to unite all Africans towards peace­ful co-existence and economic growth.

The WANF, however, drew President Mahama's attention to the fact that: "An African Union (AU) report indicates that the continent loses over $148 billion to corruption each year, through diversion of resources, and about 20 per cent of Ghana's national budget is also lost through endem­ic corruption." The group then urged President Mahama and other African leaders to put their heads together and find lasting solutions to corruption and other problems that militate against progress and development on the continent.