Govt reacts to assertions by President Kufuor

Accra, Aug. 9, GNA - The Ministry of Information on Monday said the NDC Government under President John Evans Atta Mills would continue to deepen the rule of law and not pack the courts to overturn unfavourable rulings.

The pledge was made in a statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Information, in reaction to a statement made by Former President John Agyekum Kufuor when addressing a gathering of NPP supporters in Accra on Saturday night that "Corruption is becoming incarnate. We see corruption everywhere."


President Kufuor also stated "Since we stepped down the economy has stalled, the rule of law has been put in bracket somehow, and the atmosphere of freedom is now under threat."


On the atmosphere of freedom, the statement said "President Mills would continue with his calm, sincere and humble disposition towards all."


"He would continue to forgive those who abuse press freedom and rain insults on him. President Mills, like many Ghanaians, is proud that Ghana ranks number one in press freedom in Africa."


"President Mills would continue to entrench his believe in tolerance and in a free democratic society based on equity and social justice," it said.

The statement said from 2007-2008 there was a twin deficit with a budget deficit of more than 15 per cent, huge indebtedness and long years of unpaid salaries, adding "these certainly have stalled giving way to fiscal prudence".


"It is also obvious that inflation which President Kufuor left at 18.3 per cent is now 9.5 per cent. The cedi which depreciated by over 23 per cent in the last half of 2008 has been stabilised against all the major currencies and has even appreciated at some point. The Bank of Ghana reserves which stood at two billion dollars in 2008 is now in excess of 3.5 billion dollars. Interest rates continue to fall much to the excitement of the business community. Clearly, one of the strongest points of this NDC Government is the economy and like many Ghanaians, we are proud of what is happening in this sector, "it added.


The statement said "It has been said that those who live in glass house don't throw stones but if the new strategy of President Kufuor and the NPP is one that ignores this dictum and launches unprovoked attacks on the President Mills led Government then Government would be left with no choice but to reluctantly defend itself."


"These unprovoked attacks would however not distract us from delivering on the Better Ghana promise. There are many more schools under trees which we must eliminate, many more pupils are awaiting their free school uniforms and free exercise books, many workers are waiting for the single-spine salary to reflect in their accounts, Ghanaians are awaiting the one-time premium, the housing deficit must be drastically reduced and we must restore dignity and cleanliness in our politics and for these noble objectives we refused to be distracted by such unprovoked attacks," the statement added.