President Kufuor urges fair play in 2004 election

Accra, Jan. 7, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor who is seeking a second term in office, on Wednesday called on stakeholders in the forthcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections to stick to the rule of fair play.

"Let me reiterate my call to all Ghanaians, especially members and supporters of the various political parties, to act responsibly at all times to ensure that the forthcoming elections will be incident-free, to confirm that Ghana is evolving as a truly democratic country." President Kufuor made the call when he addressed the third People's Assembly in Accra to mark 11 years of the Fourth Republic on the theme: Good Governance Through Democracy."

He gave the assurance to the packed audience at the auditorium of the Accra International Conference Centre of his personal commitment and that of the ruling New Patriotic Party to ensure a peaceful election. The People's Assembly, which would be replicated in all the 10 regions, was a novelty of the President to create an annual platform for a cross-section of the people to interact with members of the Executive to exchange views and ideas on the direction of government policies and programmes.

Highlights of President Kufuor's 15- minute address were on the proposed sale of the Volta Aluminium Company, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Dagbon chieftaincy crisis and efforts to clean Accra and other regional capitals of filth.

The confident looking President assured the electorate that government was focussed and resolved to achieve its development objectives.

"A solid foundation is being laid, to support the super structure of accelerated economic growth and development to lift the nation to a middle income country.

"This sums up the vision of the government," he said at the forum that attracted Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Members of the Council of State, Ministers of State, Diplomats and representatives of the various political parties.