President John Agyekum Kufuor who has been re-elected the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Tuesday renewed his pledge to work harder for the betterment of the nation.
The President who was elected at a delegates conference at Sekondi in the Western Region at the weekend said," As if to emphasise that there is not a lot of time at the disposal of government, the nation's attention is already being directed to the next elections."
President Kufuor was speaking at a People's Assembly organized by his administration to mark the electoral victory of the NPP, two years ago and a decade of the fourth republic.
He said the main minority party in parliament, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has also elected a presidential candidate for the next general election. "In other words, even before government has settled in to do the business of governing, it is already being thrown back into electioneering," he told the People's Assembly, which is on the theme:" consolidating Ghana's democracy through unity and development."
Similar assemblies` would be organized in the regions to offer the electorate the opportunity to interact with the executive on national issues. President Kufuor said the current trend was good for nurturing democracy as it served to remind those in authority that power remained with the people.
"Those of us, who are given the privilege of holding office, ignore this fundamental fact at our own peril." Commenting on the People's Assembly, he said it broadened the democratisation process.
"In the constitutional scheme of things, members of parliament have regular opportunities on the floor of the House and its Committees to quiz Ministers on government activity. As part of their work, members of the press also have daily and organized access to my Ministers and me. On this rare occasion therefore, the citizen outside the media and parliament has this opportunity."
