Government determined to serve its tenure of office - JAK

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Saturday pledged the government's resolve and determination to serve its full constitutional term.

This, he said would establish the principle of the people's power to make or unmake governments through regular elections, President Kufuor told the National Delegates Congress of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Accra.

The Congress was to review the party's activities after its victory in the December 2000 elections and to elect new officers of the National Executive Committee to steer the affairs of the party for the next three years.

President Kufuor said there have been attempts to distract the government's attention from performing its task of nation building through security scares based on wild allegations.

The best security comes from good governance and since that was what the government was committed to deliver to Ghanaians, they would protect the government, he said.

"Let me entreat you that, it is your responsibility as members of the ruling party to protect the government by being the ears, eyes and even noses of the government. Security is a matter for all of us."

President Kufuor said: "There would be mistakes and even more serious ones in governance and when they occur, the government would deal with them decisively, according to the laws of the land.

"We shall try and eschew hypocrisy and all pretensions, always allowing enlightened humanity to influence our stewardship in government", he added.

The Danquah-Busia tradition believes in "service to the people" and supporters of the party should be grateful for the opportunity given to them to serve, he stated.

President Kufuor cautioned that in whatever position they found themselves, they should remember that they have an obligation to work hard to guide the nation into sustained prosperity.

"This we must do with sincerity and commitment, otherwise we shall undermine the history and faith of our founding fathers".

President Kufuor said the victory of the party, was an opportunity for them to translate their beliefs into practice.

He told party supporters to acknowledge that the private sector as the engine of growth for building basic infrastructure as well as harnessing Information Technology (IT) to make the educational system efficient and relevant to the needs of the country.

"We have the opportunity to put in place a health delivery system that ensures that we have a healthy population, to prove that law and order can be maintained and development can indeed be achieved in an atmosphere of freedom".

On the economy, President Kufuor said government had to take some very difficult decisions with the determination to improve upon the quality of life of Ghanaians and the decisions would soon begin to bear fruits.

"The coffers we inherited were empty in addition to a mountain of debt.

We have tackled these problems head-on and we intend to continue until the economy is restored to good health".

Alhaji Mustapha Abubakr, National Chairman of the Convention Peoples Party

(CPP), said the party, as stakeholders in the country's political dispensation, have a common commitment with the NPP to strengthen democracy, promote the rule of law and to maintain the peace.

He commended the government for the prevailing peace and stability in the country and gave the assurance that CPP would continue to support the government in its national efforts despite the ideological differences between them.

"Although the CPP would not support the government to privatise the utilities we assure you of our support for national reconciliation and the elimination of corruption in the country", he added.

Ahmed Ramadan, National Treasurer of the People's National Convention (PNC), said the party joined the NPP for it to win the 2000 elections and would continue to give its support to the government to bring progress and development.

There were no representatives from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), National Reform Party (NRP) United Ghana Movement (UGM), Democratic People's Party (DPP) and the Egle Party.

The NDC and the NRP said they were not invited, while Dr Wereko-Brobbey’s UGM was said to be on leave.

There were solidarity messages from branches of the party in Israel, the United Kingdom, Botswana, La Cote D'Ivoire and New Jersey, Connecticut, Los Angeles and New York all in the United States (US).