let's push forward clock of progress- JAK

Accra, Jan. 13, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday invited all Ghanaians to come on board to push forward the clock of progress, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman, told a press briefing at the Castle, Osu in Accra.

He said President Kufuor pointed out that everybody in the country had a significant role to play to turn the nation's fortunes round and put it on the fast lane of prosperity.

He said it was the belief of President Kufuor, that, given a more business-like attitude of the people and driven by a collective sense of nationalism, there was no way Ghana would not achieve its development agenda.

He repeated President Kufuor's determination to work hard to build a just and humane society.

On the security situation at Bimbilla, Mr Agyapong said President Kufuor had been receiving adequate updates from the Security Chiefs and that the situation was under control.

"President Kufuor wishes to assure the people to remain calm and confident that the situation would be returned to normalcy as soon as practicable."

He also advised the parties to the Bimbilla chieftaincy conflict to be tolerant and accommodating of each other, adding that, they should avoid resorting to breaches of the peace.

The President's Press Secretary also announced a planned two-day visit to Ghana by the First Lady of the United States, Mrs Laura Bush to strengthen relations between the two countries.

She arrives in Accra on Sunday, leaves for Monrovia on Monday to attend the inauguration of the Liberian President-Elect, Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and returns the same day to Ghana.

On Tuesday, Mrs Bush would visit Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where she would interact with HIV-AIDS patients and later launch educational materials at the Accra Training College.

President Kufuor under whose Chairmanship of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), the Liberian peace was brokered paving way for the installation of an interim Government and subsequent democratic elections, expressed the hope that the warring factions in Cote d'Ivoire would learn a useful lesson from Liberia.