I will protect public purse - Nana Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has given the assurance that he would guard the public purse for the improvement of the livelihoods of all Ghanaians.

According to him, "We must restore integrity in public life and ensure that state coffers are not exploited."

After taking the presidential oath of office and oath of allegiance, Nana Akufo-Addo said, "I shall protect the public purse by ensuring value for money... We will provide vision and direction and shine the light for our entrepreneurs."

"I am determined to do all in my power to accomplish the task of the mandate and justify their confidence. I will not let you, the people of Ghana, down," he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo charged all Ghanaians to regard politics as an avenue of service to our fellow human being; our success or failure should be judged by the quality of knowledge of the ordinary man.

He has however, wished former President John Mahama well and thanked him for his service to the people of Ghana.

"I want to thank sincerely our departing president, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, for his service to our nation. He stepped into…national leadership at a delicate moment in the country’s history. He got into office for the first time of the death of a sitting president, the late professor John Evans Atta Mills.

"He [Mahama] has since steered the ship of state with conviction. His elegant, dignified acceptance of the verdict of the people on 7 December, 2016 will, without doubt, receive the approval of history for it has contributed significantly to the process of democratic consolidation in Ghana. I wish him and his family well," he added.