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President John Evans Atta Mills has given the assurance that great efforts will be made to safeguard the sanctity, free, fair, transparent and peaceful conduct of the 2012 general election. He further indicated that adequate measures would be put in place to deal with deviants and trouble makers who wished to compromise the country;s hard-won democratic credentials. President Mills was reacting to a statement attributed to the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo, that �we must ensure that we win power at all cost� when he addressed the KNUST branch of the NPP in Kumasi. Addressing the Castle Press Corps at the Castle Osu, in Accra Wednesday on varied issues, the President said �when I hear these statements attributed to Nana Addo I chuckle because we were soccer play mates in the university.� According to President Mills, during their days at the university, Nana Addo was a mid-fielder while he (President) was a central defender, stressing that at no point in time they went onto the field and insisted that they would win the match. He said the two would go on the field knowing well that they were likely to meet stronger team and it was only through their determination, work and tact that they could score their opponents. The President further said that as sportsmen they were well aware that it was only the referee that would direct how a match would go in the application of the rules governing the game. President Mills, therefore, reiterated his strongest resolve to ensure a peaceful elections, saying that �this is what Ghana needs and should not take them for granted.� He said Ghana would enter into the election and complete without any violent and a drop of blood. On the recent Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) election, President Mills used the occasion to congratulate those elected to run the affairs of the committee. The President, who was once a Vice-Chairman of the GOC, expressed concern about how the committee was embroiled in challenges to the extend that Ghana was banned by the international body. �I am happy, the election is over, we must now join forces,� he said, adding that the value of sport was �you shake hands after games.� President Mills also announced that he wiould grace the climax of the activities marking this year�s Hogbetsotso Festival of the chiefs and people of Anlo. The festival, which brings peace and unity, has not been celebrated by the people of Anlo over a decade, following chieftaincy disputes in the area. The President also appreciated the hardwork of the Castle Press Corps and urged them to continue to report objectively and professionally.