Govt will ensure successful election

Page 34 (lead) September/2008

Story: Charles Benoni Okine

The Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has said that the government has committed itself to ensuring successful elections and a smooth transition from the present administration to whichever political party emerges as the winner after the December 7 polls.
“Our government believes in democracy and we will not tarnish that belief, the confidence and trust the people and the international community have in us,” he said.
The Vice-President said this when the outgoing South Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Wi Keyei-Chul, paid a courtesy call on him at the Castle yesterday to bid him farewell after a two-year service.
Alhaji Mahama said the government had ensured continued stability and peace in the country and could also boast having ensured a better human rights record.
He said the country had also seen tremendous economic growth while ensuring that the rule of law was also not compromised in any way.
The Vice-President said the country was on a path to better progress particularly with the oil find.
He said measures were being taken to ensure that the find became a blessing and not a curse.
Alhaji Mahama said what the country needed now was foreign direct investment to be able to place the economy on a more deserving level.
“We invite you the Koreans to be part of the oil find and I would want you to be an ambassador for Ghana to convince your fellow investors to come to Ghana,” he said.
He praised South Korea for the assistance it had given to the country over the years and expressed the hope that when that country was able to increase its assistance to Africa as it promised, Ghana would not be left out.
Vice-President Mahama wished Mr Keyei-Chul well in his new endeavours and presented him with a wooden stool and a parcel for his wife.
Mr Keyei-Chul praised the government for the peace and stability that the country had enjoyed over the years.
He also mentioned the economic successes and noted that Ghana stood a chance of being the first on the continent to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Mr Keyei-Chul expressed the hope that just as ever, Ghana would be able to go through another successful and peaceful election come December.
In a related development, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture from the Republic of Guinea, Mr Youssouf Sylla, has presented a special letter of invitation from that country’s President, Mr Lassana Conte, to President Kufuor to attend the 50th anniversary of the independence of Guinea.
The message was received on behalf of President Kufuor by Vice-President Alhaji Mahama.
Mr Sylla said Ghana and Guinea had enjoyed excellent relations since the days of President Nkrumah and President Sekou Toure as they fought for the liberation of Africa from its colonial masters.
He said the spirit of friendship between the two countries was still alive and Guinea would continue to make Ghana a part of every move that it would undertake.
Alhaji Mahama pledged the government’s willingness to be part of the celebration, which comes off on October 2.
He congratulated President Conte and the people of Guinea on the celebration and expressed the hope that the bond of friendship between the two countries would grow from strength to strength.