Govt's responsibility is to seek the welfare of Ghanaians - Prez.

Sunyani (B/A), July 9, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills has emphasized that the essential and primary responsibility of Government was to work to improve upon the welfare of the people.

He said that government would ensure the provision of the necessary infrastructure development, facilities and avenues that could make life worth living.


The President was speaking at the National Delegates' Congress of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Sunyani on the theme: 93Unity in Diversity for a better Ghana", to elect a flagbearer to lead the party in Election 2012.


The congress, apart from both local and international observers, was attended by about 3,200 delegates, comprising of NDC executives, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Parliamentarians, Ministers of State as well as regional and constituency executive members.


President Mills said it was incumbent on those in position of responsibility to render accounts of their stewardship for the betterment of the people and to move the country to greater heights.


This, he stressed, was because 93Whatever it is, both present and past governments will have to account for their services to the populace" and asserted that 93the wheels of justice grinds very slowly".

The President said that the choice of democratic rule went with a great cost, saying it had its own ups and downs of bumpy, crooked and difficult path to trail but with good governance and effective application of the rule of law, fairness and justice, what was expected could be delivered to the people.


He asked NDC members to remember and consider themselves as one family, stressing that no matter the cost, they needed to be united to strengthen party structures and broaden their base to be able to clinch massive victory in the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary polls.


Vice President John Dramani Mahama said the declaration of Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, former first lady, to challenge President Mills as a sitting president for Election 2012 flagbearership of the party, had established the NDC as currently the most democratic political organisation in the country.


He said that decision might not go down well with many members of the party but the NDC was 93battle-hardened" as it had faced and passed many of such tests.


The Vice President stressed that the democratic stance of the NDC allowed each qualified member to exercise his or her will to lead the party, adding that it was the right for Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings take part in the contest.

He, however, said that "I presume to speak for Professor Mills because I am his Vice President and I need to help him to execute his developmental agenda to move the country forward.


The Vice President praised former President Jerry John Rawlings for his invaluable contributions for the growth of the party, achievements and records for the development of the country, saying that the writing of modern Ghana history could not be complete without due recognition of his great role.


Vice President Mahama said the Mills government had achieved successes since the last two-and-half years and emphasized the need for him (President Mills) to be allowed to continue to lead the party and the country at large.


The Vice President deemphasized the idea of either a victor or vanquishes in the NDC contest for a flagbearer and that the most important thing was for the verdict of the delegates to be accepted in good faith by all parties involved in the contest.