John Dramani Mahama has already had a full term as a President of Ghana, and some few added months in the highest office after he stepped into the shoes of his predecessor, John Evans Atta Mills, when he suddenly died on Tuesday, July 24, 2012.
And although he has lost two subsequent elections to the incumbent president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mahama has given all the indications that he is still interested in the Number One job in the land, only that this time, he would have to face it off with a newer face on the ballot sheets in December 2024.
While there is clear indications in the country that people are going through hardships which could be a sign that a wind of change could be in the offing, no one is sure if John Dramani Mahama could get his wish of a second term at the presidency.
GhanaWeb has, in the estimation that this dream of his does not materialize, put together a list of ten other jobs that the former president could permanently or temporarily focus on as an alternative to being president.
A number of these ideas have been teased out of the interests that the former president has had or exhibited in his many years of being in politics or in the public space.
Here they are:
International diplomat:
Being a former president, John Dramani Mahama could immediately opt for a job as an international diplomat whose work would focus on mediation.
This would not be the first time anyone who has ever served as president would be doing and it is surely a job that he is likely to succeed at, especially when he would be bringing his own experiences to bear on the job.
Through this, he could help broker peace and stability for many nations needing his expertise.
Set up a foundation:
As a former president, John Mahama could consider a job of superintending over the running of a foundation.
In his case, being a man in politics, this foundation could focus on promoting good governance or other politically or governance-related fields of work.
Through such a foundation too, he could bring his expertise to the table, helping to develop other interested persons and areas of governance and politics that may be in his immediate interest.
Author:
It should not be too far-fetched to say that the former president can equally focus on writing more, adding on to the book he has already authored: My First Coup D’état.
Having a lot of books authored by the former president who has experience from all the levels of politics in Ghana – from being an Assembly Member till he occupied the highest office of the land, would be a great source of information and a library for many to refer to academic and other spheres of study.
Should he consider such a job, he could well become Ghana’s only president to have authored the highest number of books in history.
Paramount chief:
From the Apesika Traditional Area in the Kintampo South constituency in the Bono East Region, to Bibianiha in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region, to Proso Kofikrom in the Western North Region, to the Offa Kingdom of the Kwara State of Nigeria, among many others, John Dramani Mahama has already been inducted into this office.
With already a number of them on his plate, it should be an easy transition for him to make should his aspirations to once again become president does not fall through.
Farming:
As has been the retirement job of many politicians across the globe, John Mahama could also consider going into tilling the ground for farm produce.
Regardless of whatever crop(s) he decides to invest in, it should be a relatively rewarding area for him.
Besides, there is so much land across the country that chiefs would be willing to part ways for him to use in this venture.
Manage his son:
One of the sons of the former president is into football.
Sharaf Mahama could just get some coaching from his father who is also a great lover of sports.
The influence of John Mahama could also play a big role in the football stints of his son should he decide to focus more time to managing him.
As his agent, Mahama could use his influence secure good deals at top clubs for him.
Consultant on governance:
With a background in communications and politics, John Mahama could easily succeed at the job of consulting on governance for either internal or external outlets.
There is no doubt that as a one-time president and with all of the other experiences he has in politics behind him, he would excel in such a field, or that he would be appealing to people needing such services.
Globetrotter:
Should his attempts at becoming president again fail, it should perhaps be time for the former president, John Dramani Mahama, to take some needed rest by traveling the world.
He could explore other countries and visit places of interest alone, with his wife, or with his family when he has the chance.
It should be a good way to get away from all the things that weigh so heavily on his mind, particularly the direct impacts of politics.
Chancellor of a university:
John Mahama could just be appointed by any of the many universities in the country as their chancellor.
YouTuber:
In the last few years, John Mahama has used the medium of social media to reach out to many Ghanaians on various topics and the reception has been impressive so far.
It should not be far-off should he consider a job as developing content for YouTube, regardless of the topic he chooses.
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