Ghana ready to work with any winner in Liberia

From Kwasi Kpodo, GNA Special Correspondent, Monvoria Courtesy: US Embassy, Accra

Monrovia, Oct 21, GNA - Ghana on Friday declared her preparedness to work with any government that would emerge after the presidential and legislative elections in Liberia.

Mr Kwame Amoa-Awua, Ghana's Ambassador to Liberia in a statement to the Ghana News Agency, said: "The Embassy of the Republic of Ghana wishes to reiterate that the President, Government and People of the Republic of Ghana shall work with whoever is elected as the Head of State of the Republic of Liberia."

It said Ghana has "expended enormous resources to help Liberians restore peace to their country, after 14 years of civil war that decimated an estimated 10 per cent of the population of Liberia, and uprooted and displaced hundreds of thousand of Liberians within and outside their own country.

The statement was reacting to rumours making rounds in Monvoria and its environs that the President of Ghana Mr John Agyekum Kufuor had indicated his displeasure at the prospect of conducting official business with a particular Liberian presidential candidate, should that candidate win the elections.

Another rumour making the rounds had it that the international Community, including Ghana, had a preferred candidate in the presidential elections.

The statement said: "Nothing could be further from the truth and the rumours were nothing but lies and being made by people, who wanted to undermine the strict neutrality of President Kufuor and the Government of Ghana.

It said the lies were also calculated attempts to ensnare Ghanaians resident in Liberia, into any possible elections related violent dispute.

The statement said: "The Embassy of the Republic of Ghana wishes to state categorically that the, Government of the Republic of Ghana has no preferred candidates in Liberia' s presidential and legislative elections."

It said Ghana was aware of the misery that had been the lot of Liberians for 14 years, as a result of the civil and the yearning in their hearts for durable peace for themselves. "Ghana is a peace-loving and democratic country and a strong advocate of peace and democratic governance everywhere, and will, therefore, not support any machinations that will make democracy elude the Liberian people."

Meanwhile, the Ghana Embassy commended the Liberian voters, the Liberian political parties and the National Elections Commission (NEC) for the orderly, peaceful and transparent manner in which the presidential and legislative elections were conducted throughout the country.

It called on all Liberians, particularly the political parties and their supporters, to respect and accept the outcome of the elections to enable durable peace to sprout and develop deep roots in Liberia, a vital factor and catalyst for the reconstruction and development of Liberia, and for the return of tranquillity to Liberia.