John Dramani Mahama sworn in as Ghana's president

China

John Dramani Mahama sworn in as Ghana's president

2025-01-08 13:59 Last Updated At：19:57

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama took the oath of office on Tuesday after winning the presidential election in December last year.

A large crowd of Ghanaians from all walks of life, along with party supporters, gathered at the Black Star Square in Accra, the country's capital, to witness the grand ceremony. The event was also attended by African heads of state and other foreign dignitaries.

Mahama previously served one term as the country's leader but lost in the 2016 elections. He has taken over from Nana Akufo Addo who has led the country for the last eight years.

Mahama said he will hit the ground running, as he tries to put Ghana on the path to economic recovery.

"I will be decisive and swift in my actions. We will focus our initial efforts on four critical areas. The first is economic restoration and stabilization of the macroeconomic environment. Second is the improvement of the business and investment environment to ensure that Ghana is once again open for business," he said.

Mahama lost the 2016 election after overseeing a government rocked with a series of corruption scandals. But with thousands attending the swearing-in ceremony, many have been prepared to give him a second chance.

"I am really happy to witness this event. I pray that God gives the president strength and wisdom to turn things around because we are really struggling. I also pray that John Mahama has a peaceful reign as president," said a resident.

Mahama has planned to implement 26 key policies to improve Ghana's economy and social development in the next 120 days in office. All eyes will be keenly watching, as he tries to take millions of Ghanaians out of poverty.

In the coming days, he is expected to appoint his ministers, and will be counting on them to help make his pledge to turn Ghana's economy around a reality.

Beijing Service platform offers one-stop solutions to int'l visitors

2025-01-09 07:51 Last Updated At：08:17

Starting from Jan 1, "Beijing Service," a service platform backed by the Beijing municipal government, extended its coverage to the city's two international airports, setting up 24-hour kiosks to facilitate visitors from abroad.

On the first day of 2025, two Beijing Service kiosks near the international arrivals areas of Beijing's Capital International Airport and Daxing International Airport were put into use, with well-trained staff providing 24-hour multilingual services for global travelers.

"This year we have set up service stations in Beijing's Capital International Airport and Daxing International Airport to provide travelers with one-stop services including payment setup, mobile phone services, and transport and tourism consultation, covering four categories of more than 20 convenient services. The services aim to further facilitate foreigners to study, travel, or live in Beijing, and to upgrade the level of Beijing's international services," said Zhang Li, division chief of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Government Services and Data Management.

The move came after the city's recent poll with international visitors on what could be done to improve their experience in China, aiming to better support the surging global visitors brought by the country's visa-free policies.

The Beijing Service platform can now provide a one-stop solution to newcomers, and address most of the common concerns of foreign travelers.

"So far, I haven't had any problems, and it seems quite straightforward and it's easy to follow the instructions, everyone gives clear instructions, so it's quite easy to follow. So far everyone I have talked to is able to give feedback (on) what I needed, so it's been good," said Rahima Siddiqui, a traveler from New Zealand.