Govt'll Not Sabotage Its Own Efforts For Political Gain- Mills Tells Diplomatic Corps

Presidant John Evans Atta Mills says he will not sacrifice the unprecedented economic growth achieved by his administration to gain political advantage in an election year.

He said through prudent economic management, his administration had achieved macro-economic stability, which was very necessary for sustained growth.

Exchanging New Year greetings with members of the Diplomatic Corps at the Flagstaff House in Accra Friday, President Mills said, “We are not taking these achievements for granted.”

He described 2011 as a very a eventful year which witnessed real action, saying that notwithstanding the continuing the turmoil in the global economy and its debilitating impact on national economies, “the country remained on track and recorded much progress”.

He said the economy had experienced unprecedented growth of 13.4 per cent, while inflation had been reduced to a single digit and interest rates to the lowest level in several decades.

Commenting on this year’s elections, he expressed the determination of the government to ensure that “we have, free, fair and orderly elections and the peace and stability which the country has enjoyed over the years is not compromised”.

He said Ghana’s democratic credentials stood tall and “we will do all we can to keep them intact”.

He urged the international community to keep a close eye on the general election and asked the diplomatic community not to hesitate to alert him if “you think there are things we need to know. Ghana’s success is the continent’s success”.

On Ghana’s foreign policy, the President said the country’s policy of good neighbourliness had shaped and sustained relations with its immediate neighbours, noting that maintaining that relationship would continue to be a major foreign policy objective.

He affirmed Ghana’s commitment to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as a pivotal instrument for the promotion of sub-regional peace, security, stability and economic development.

At the continental level, he said, Ghana would continue to play a part in the collective effort to promote peace, stability and economic development.

“Ghana holds on strongly to the ideals of the UN and will continue to be a key player in world affairs,” he said.

President Mills used the occasion to thank the AU for the magnificent statue of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana, saying, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

The Ambassador of Burkina Faso and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr Sini Pierre Sanou, commended President Mills for working conscientiously to accelerate the country’s growth through the implementation of forward-looking policies.

On roads, infrastructure, transportation, education, youth employment, energy and housing, he said the Mills administration had put in the same results-oriented effort.

Such effort, he said, had resulted in the declaration of Ghana as a global best reformer in accessing credit and also the best place to do business in the IMF/World Bank Doing Business report for 2011.

“The Diplomatic Corps notes with respect that social schemes initiated under the former administration to alleviate hardship on the most vulnerable populations have been assiduously maintained, expanded and improved,” he said.