Ghana expects highest quality of deliberation from Parliament - JAK

Accra, Feb.3, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday told Parliament that the nation expected the highest quality of deliberations and debates from the House, saying it had a critical stake in the prosperity of the nation.

He said the nation also expected a mature and fruitful relationship between the Legislature and the Executive to accelerate the realisation of the Government's vision of making Ghana a just, humane and prosperous nation.

President Kufuor was delivering his State of the Nation Address to the First Session of the Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic in Accra.

He congratulated the Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi-Hughes on his election and "I pray that God grants you wisdom to discharge the heavy responsibility that has been entrusted to you".

President Kufuor welcomed the fresh intake of the 118 new Parliamentarians to the House, saying: "I congratulate and wish them well. My congratulations also go to the continuing members on their re-election and I pray that they bring their experience to bear for the benefit of the House and the nation as a whole."

He said the elections dominated everything last year, they were vigorously fought and naturally some won and others lost, but now that a new term had started it was important that a period of peace ensued and the nation's energies concentrated on building the happy and prosperous nation that all Ghanaians desired.

President Kufuor said the Government succeeded in laying a firm foundation for rapid economic growth during its first term in office, adding: "I am particularly proud that the average citizen now takes as normal, the general atmosphere of freedom and a vibrant media scene.

"This is helping in no small measure to develop the self-confidence that is required to build a modern nation", he said.