Kufuor Governance

President Kufuor said the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), which provided external monitoring and served as a mirror for the country to undertake a reality check on good governance and the collective well-being, had suggested action plans to remedy defects brought to light by the review.

The latest report made to the APRM in Addis Ababa on January 30, 2008, recommended the stemming of conflict arising from land disputes, strengthening the oversight role of parliament, establishing trade desks in MDAs and capacity building to analyze multilateral trade issues and strengthening of tax administration. He said the implementation of these action plans had already commenced.

In terms of gender, President Kufuor said Ghana was making strides towards a more inclusive society that was manifested in government's appointment of the first female Chief Justice in the nation's history. "We should be proud that the male stranglehold on the headship of the Judiciary has at long last been broken."

President Kufuor said in all units of the Public Service, both genders were represented at the top and that there was representation in all branches of the security service. He said both Parliament and the Executive also had their share of gender mix though balance was yet to be achieved and that it was for paying prompt attention to such under-representation that the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs had been established which was doing a good job.