The swearing-in ceremony of President-elect John Dramani Mahama, set for Tuesday, January 7, 2025, is expected to be a grand event with 21 Heads of State confirmed to attend. According to a statement from the Ministry of Information released on Monday, January 6, the event will also feature three Vice Presidents, four Ministers, and 24 envoys.

The Ministry has announced that press accreditation is now open for journalists who wish to cover the inauguration. Both local and international reporters who have applied for accreditation are required to collect their passes from the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) office on January 6, 2025. The Ministry emphasized that accreditation is mandatory for all journalists, photographers, and videographers attending the ceremony.

To ensure a seamless and high-quality broadcast of the inauguration ceremony, the production will be centralized. Television channels will receive a direct feed, and media outlets that require a clean feed must ensure they have a minimum internet speed of 4mbps. This measure is aimed at maintaining the broadcast’s clarity and quality for all viewers.

The inauguration of President-elect John Dramani Mahama will take place at the iconic Black Star Square and will include a parliamentary session. As a result, Parliament’s sitting will be relocated to the venue for the occasion.

Preparations for the event are in full swing to ensure its security and smooth organization. Access to the parliamentary session will be strictly limited to invited guests only, to maintain order and control during the proceedings.

Guests attending the inauguration ceremony are expected to be seated by 08:30 hours, followed by Members of Parliament and other invited dignitaries. The Speaker of Parliament will then arrive to accompany the President-Elect and Vice President-Elect to the Chamber, with the proceedings set to begin at 11:00 hours.

To ensure smooth operations during the event, certain roads in Accra will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic. These include the 28th February Road (from CEPS Headquarters to Castle Road Junction), Castle Road (from AU Circle to Osu Cemetery Traffic Light), and Starlet 91 Road. These roads will be reopened after the ceremony.

In terms of traffic management, vehicles traveling from La, Labone, and Osu towards the Central Business District will be redirected from the 28th February Road to the Salem Avenue Traffic Light at Castle Traffic Light, to connect with Oxford Street. Additionally, traffic from John Evans Atta Mills High Street heading towards Black Star Square will be redirected.

Designated parking areas for the ceremony include:

• The back of the Independence Arch
• Forecourt of the State House
• Access Bank Car Park
• Osu Cemetery Car Park
• Ministries Areas
• Ministry of Food and Agriculture Car Park
• Marine Drive Football Park
• Efua Sutherland Car Park

Vehicles will not be allowed to park in unauthorized areas or drive through any roadblocks, ensuring orderly access to the event.