According to him, leadership in what was the most difficult decade in Ghana's history led to important reforms that created political stability and economic growth in Africa.
In his tribute to the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, Mahama said the signature of the former President "promulgating the 1992 Constitution gave birth the most enduring democratic Republic Ghana has experienced in its entire historical existence."
"Shocking and unexpected are words that both describe your dramatic entry onto the political scene of Ghana and also your silent exit from this world. It would take a whole book to write a tribute to a man whose life was so eventful; a man who has had a profound impact on several generations of Ghanaians," he said.
He added: "None can match your political astuteness, wit, and charisma. For those of us the comrades you've left behind, it is time to close ranks and collectively work to guarantee the unity and survival of your party NDC as a vehicle that entrenches your memory and legacy for posterity."