New US Ambassador Calls On Rawlings

Ghana¹s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, has in a meeting with the new United States Ambassador to Ghana, expressed optimism that the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections will be successful.

President Rawlings said calls for peace were genuine but expressed the hope that sanity will prevail on December 7. The two met on Wednesday, October 17.

The former President commended President Barrack Obama and his government for demanding a show of integrity and accountability from corporate America upon assumption of office, stating that action made it easier for Africa to also combat corporate corruption.

Touching on political development in Ghana, President Rawlings said the country would have achieved a much higher level of economic and political development had successive governments adopted the positive developmental initiatives inherited from previous governments.

Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and Ms. Vernell Trim, Head of Political Affairs at the American Embassy also attended the meeting.

Ambassador Gene Cretz who presented his credentials to the President of Ghana on October 8, said he is keen to observe the Ghanaian electoral process because the United States sees ³Ghana as a model for Africa as far as respect for democracy² is concerned.

Ghana, he said, has captured the imagination of the American people.

President Rawlings and Ambassador Cretz also discussed the situation in Libya, the Arab - Israel issue and United States¹ role in Somalia.

The former President, who is also the AU High Representative for Somalia, thanked the United States for its patience and persistence in supporting the transitional process in Somalia and called for continued support as the Horn of Africa country emerges from years of conflict.