President seeks harmony among political parties

President John Dramani Mahama has expressed his intention to use dialogue to increase mutual understanding among political parties with the aim of improving relations for peaceful co-existence.

“To enhance rapprochement and political harmony, I will continue to dialogue and build bridges with the leadership and membership of other political parties,” President Mahama said in his third State of the Nation Address on Thursday.

According to the President, he had received a petition from the Council of Elders of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) asking for a return of properties seized from the party after the 1966 coup.

The CPP on Tuesday staged a “justice protest” to demand the return of confiscated properties belonging to the party after the overthrow of the first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

But President Mahama told Parliament that, “I have referred the petition to the AG [Attorney General] for consideration and advice.”

He reminded Ghanaians that eight days from then, the nation would be marking its 58th anniversary as a free and independent country.

He said in celebrating the occasion and reflecting on the struggles, the forbears who fought to wean the country off colonial domination and subjugation, there was the pressing need to assess the current generation contributions towards the sustenance and development of Ghana.

“I invite everyone, boy or girl, man or woman, rich or poor, religious believer or non-believer to shed off what divides us and concentrate on the many issues that unite us as a nation and let’s work together to accelerate the progress made so far as we work to transform Ghana,” he said.