People's Assembly re-scheduled for Feb 7

Accra, Jan. 5, GNA - This year's People's Assembly has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 7 and instead of January 10, a statement signed by Mr Frank Agyekum, Government Spokesperson on Governance, said on Thursday in Accra.

The statement said the change in date became necessary because January 10 fell on the Muslim holy feast day of Eid-Ul-Adha, a statutory public holiday.

The Assembly would be held outside Accra for the first time in accordance with President John Agyekum Kufuor's desire to afford the people in the regions the chance to engage in frank discourse with him. The statement said Muslim prayers would be held in mosques throughout the country on Friday, February 3 for the good of the nation. The Seventh Day Adventist Church would pray for the nation on Saturday February 4 while the rest of the Christian community would take their turn with church services on Sunday February 5.

It said that an all-night musical concert comes off at the Victoria Park in Cape Coast on Friday February 3.

The Assembly is under the theme: "Positive Change Chapter Two - Accelerating Development, Deepening Good Governance." It would be addressed by President Kufuor and attended by all Ministers of State and state dignitaries, representatives of political parties and members of the diplomatic corps.

The statement said President Kufuor would answer questions from the gathering after his speech and later open an exhibition to be mounted by the Information Services Department on development projects across the country.

The statement indicated that regional Peoples' Assemblies would follow throughout the regions from February 11 to February 26 to be addressed by Ministers of State and other top ranking governance officials.

The Assembly was instituted by the Government in 2001 for the public to dialogue with the President on matters of State.