President Mills' Christmas Message

Accra, Dec. 25, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Friday issued a Christmas Message to Ghanaians.

Below is a full text of the message:
All over Ghana, and all over the world, we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

We thank the Good Lord for giving us another opportunity to savour the joy that comes with the festive season.

As Christians, the birth of Christ means a lot because it is the day that salvation came to us.

As we take time off to be with family and friends, we must also reflect on the true essence of the festive season.

This is a season of giving so let us give.
There are lots of our compatriots who will appreciate every little gesture and so let us reach out to them.

Let us also seize the moment and forgive so that the Good Lord will also forgive us our sins.

Let our thoughts and deeds reflect our Christian belief.

We must ensure that the joy of the birth of Christ does not turn into sorrow so let us not over indulge and most importantly, let us not turn our roads into death camps.

If you drink, don't drive. If you drive, don't drink.

To all those who are spending this festive season in hospital; especially the children, I pray that the birth of Christ brings you healing.

In this festive season, I wish our troops serving in various peacekeeping zones abroad a special merry Christmas and pray for their safe return home to their families.

As we end 2011 and look forward to 2012, we must resolve to stay united behind a common purpose of building a Better Ghana.

May the joy of the birth of Christ bring us lots of joy as nation and may the peace of God which passeth all understanding rest and abide with us all as we hope for a New Year filled with enormous heavenly blessings.

Merry Christmas and May God continue to bless our homeland Ghana.

John Evans Atta Mills
(President, Republic of Ghana)
GNA