President John Evans Atta Mills has asked Ghanaians to �arise and shine� and contribute meaningfully to build on the solid foundation laid by the nation�s founding President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
He said though the nation�s skies abounded with �rays of hope�, it would require hard work, dedication and oneness to realize the development objectives of the country.
President Mills, in a live radio broadcast early yesterday morning to mark the centenary celebration of Dr Nkrumah, also called on the youth to take their destiny into their hands and work hard to achieve their aspiration. He cautioned against the use of illegal means to achieve wealth. �There are no short-cuts in life. Success can only be guaranteed through hardwork,� he advised.
President Mills called for patriotism and unity of purpose among Ghanaians for national development and invited all citizens, irrespective of their political and ethnic background, to join his administration �to build the Ghana that we all desire in our dreams.�
While admitting that the beginning might not be easy, he was, optimistic that as Dr Nkrumah was able to bread through such difficulties, the present generation could also achieve success through hard work and unity.
President Mills paid glowing tribute to Osagyefo Dr Nkrumah, whose contribution to nurturing Ghana�s and Africa�s independence and development was unsurpassed and urged Ghanaians to emulate his exceptional leadership skills.
Dr Nkrumah, he said, projected Ghana as the true star of Africa and bequeathed to Ghana, a sense of patriotism, self-reliance and a vision of ones.
The President said the nation�s first President pursued his vision of national unity by breaking ethnic barriers in politics and ensuring all-inclusiveness in governance as he engaged the masses in government activities.
He noted that there had been continuous attempts by some to question the valued of Dr Nkrumah�s role in Ghana�s history, and emphasised that the pivotal role he played for the independence of Ghana could not be wished away.
�We are not celebrating him for the sake of doing so. We are celebrating him for what he stood for and he gave our dear nation,� he said in defence to government�s decision to honour the first President.
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