A traditional healer has prepared a long walk to Accra for Mahama’s swearing-in.
On January 7, 2025, a 65-year-old man plans to walk nearly 250 kilometres from Kumasi to Accra to attend Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama’s inauguration.
Alhaji Ayaana, a Tamale-based businessman and philanthropist, plans to drive to Kumasi and then walk to Accra, a distance of nearly 250 kilometers. He has scheduled three days for the voyage, beginning on January 5 and ending on January 7, in time for the swearing-in event.
Speaking to the press, the 65-year-old revealed that this gesture was his way of congratulating President-elect John Dramani Mahama on his victory in the 2024 presidential elections.
It is not the first time Alhaji Ayaana has taken such a symbolic stroll. In 1997, he reportedly walked to commemorate former President Jerry John Rawlings’ second term swearing in. In 1999, he organized a 16-kilometer peace and health walk in Tamale on Independence Day to promote national unity and public health.
On Saturday, December 21, the billionaire unveiled his latest project after completing a 19-kilometre health walk from Tamale’s Yakubu Tali International Airport to Jubilee Park. This walk was arranged to commemorate Ghana’s peaceful 2024 elections and to thank Ghanaians for voting overwhelmingly for the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Alhaji Ayaana also expressed hope that the President-elect would keep his campaign pledges, particularly the reduction in Hajj expenditures, which is a major worry for Ghana’s Muslims.
He also encourages President-elect John Dramani Mahama to “prioritize decentralising visa issuance and biometric verification processes at the regional level.” This would make it easier for pilgrims from the northern areas, who frequently experience difficulties getting to Accra for these processes.”
A traditional healer, Baako Alhassan, who participated in the walk, emphasized the importance of physical activity. He applauded Alhaji Ayaana’s initiative, calling it a symbol of resilience and patriotism.
He encouraged others to follow in his footsteps, emphasizing the need to prioritize health and national unity.
