<<Print>>

President John Mahama has stated that operationalising the core values and aspirations of Ghanaians will be his administration�s overall objective for the next four years. The government would insist on professionalism, inclusiveness, efficiency, civility and service for humility from all government functionaries including civil and public servants, he stressed. Interacting with Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Ghana and Representatives of Foreign Missions at the Peduase Lodge in the Eastern Region on Friday, President Mahama said he intend to deliver on his electoral promises. �It is our intention to give real hope to our youth, partner the private sector to expand businesses, grow the economy rapidly and create employment for the numerous job seekers,� he said. The President�s meeting with the diplomatic community, his first since becoming the President of Ghana, was attended by the Vice-President, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, former President Jerry John Rawlings, Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Doe Adjaho and career diplomats. President Mahama said the government would exercise financial discipline and dwell on priority projects in the areas of health, education, housing, energy, water provision, ICT development and infrastructure that would inure to the benefit of the people. The President disclosed that �my administration will scrupulously respect and promote human rights, the rule of law, the independence of the Judiciary, deepen our democracy, and provide reliable security for all persons who reside within our borders.� He underscored the government�s commitment to multilateralism and the use of peaceful means to resolve disputes within the international community, adding that �Ghana will respect all legitimate international obligations and commitments inherited by my government�. The President indicated that the policy of good neighbourliness and faster integration of the West African sub-region would be deepened. He again solicited support for the candidature of Mr. Allan Kyeremanten, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, who has already been endorsed by the African Union, for the post of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation. �This is one concrete and peaceful way we can engage with the international community as collaborators, to address the trade concerns of developing countries and expand the frontiers of growth and sustainable economic development,� he said. He reiterated the country�s opposition to terrorism, money laundering, cyber and cross border crimes, drug and human trafficking and piracy, which had plagued the country�s neighbourhood and elsewhere. Consequently, he said Ghana would show strong resolve concerning the Malian crisis because as a country that believes firmly in democracy, rule of law and a peaceful and orderly world, �we cannot countenance any development that will roll back the gains made by Africa.� President Mahama stressed that in collaboration with the African Union, Ghana would promote democracy, human rights, peace, stability, economic development and inter-African trade, saying that �Our success as a nation is inextricably linked with the success of other African countries.� He noted that Ghana continued to play host to several refugees fleeing from conflicts and disasters in various parts of the continent, with its attendant devastating humanitarian crisis. He, therefore, encouraged countries to help find adequate support mechanisms and durable solutions such as voluntary repatriation, resettlement, and reintegration, to bring some comfort to the refugees and their families. �However, we are acutely aware of our obligation not to allow refugees to use our territory to destabilize any nation, including their own,� President Mahama said, adding that �We shall endeavour in accordance with international refugee and humanitarian laws, to maintain the civilian character of all refugee camps in Ghana.� As a way of facilitating the work of accredited envoys to Ghana, President Mahama charged the sector ministry to find innovative ways by which the government could engage diplomatic missions and international organizations in special sessions on regional and global developments. That, he said, was for the purposes of forging further, collective understanding and mutually beneficial solutions to shared problems. The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Sini Pierre Sanou, who is the Burkinabe Ambassador to Ghana, lauded the democratic credentials of Ghana, following the peaceful transition of power upon the demise of former President John E.A. Mills and the peaceful, transparent, free and fair conduct of the 2012 general election. He said all indications pointed to a rapid economic growth in Ghana, citing the rate of inflation and good fiscal management. �There is no doubt that Ghana is on track, indeed Ghana is making remarkable progress towards a middle income society,� he added.