1. 52nd ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF GHANA
Rt. Honourable Speaker of Parliament,
Her Ladyship Chief Justice,
Ministers of State,
Members of Parliament,
Your Excellencies, Dean and Members of the Diplomatic Corp,
Traditional Leaders,
Fellow Ghanaians,
This
is a day on which we pay homage to the daughters and sons of Ghana
whose vision and tenacity of purpose won us our independence.
Foremost
amongst them was Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who has left an indelible
impression on world history and was rightly chosen as the topmost
African Personality of the 20th Century at the last millennium.
I
congratulate the parade commander, officers and men of the security
agencies, students, and all identifiable groups who formed this parade.
You have put up a splendid performance befitting the occasion and the nation is proud of you.
Fellow Ghanaians, our nation is blessed with so much even if things do not always go the way we want.
The qualities of our human resources alone exemplify the country’s huge potential.
Everywhere in the world the creativity, talent and the professional expertise of the Ghanaian is not in doubt.
The world reveres our sports team especially the Black Stars.
Across
the world when it comes to Democracy and Political Stability, we stand
tall and we must be proud of such an enviable feat.
The theme for
this year’s celebration “Unity and Peace; Pillars For National
Development” could not be more apt considering the extent to which a
wrong step during the last election could have moved us forward in the
wrong direction.
Indeed, yesterday I presented awards to
deserving students, the message of the youth to us leaders, is, nothing
but a cry for a peaceful and united Ghana.
And my solemn pledge
to the youth of Ghana is that Atta Mills and his government will do
everything possible to make sure that Ghana remains a haven of peace and
unity.
The rich talents and rich human qualities given to us by
God will enable us overcome the challenges posed by the global economic
downturn and our inadequacies in the management of the nation’s economy.
This administration does not intent to parade scapegoats or seek refuge in excuses.
We will focus on the things that matter and which will enable the economy recover some degree of stability.
We will do this in collaboration with organised labour, the business community and with industry.
We
count on the good will and understanding of all Ghanaians as we engage
each other in a more civil and collaborative manner to build the kind of
Better Ghana we all want.
Our goal as government is to
strengthen Ghana’s position as a magnet for investment in productive
ventures to create jobs for our youth.
We aim for efficiency in
our governance process for creating a business climate that will rank
very high; investing in infrastructure to open up the country; a health
care system that provides for all; providing quality teachers in a
highly improved schools system; providing good drinking water for the
people; and in making Ghana a much safer place for the citizenry.
My brothers and sisters I have assured you in the past that an Atta Mills Government will not engage in political vendetta.
No
amount of organised detraction or political barnstorming will break my
resolve to chart a new course in the politics of this dear nation of
ours.
It may take time for some to wake up to this new political reality but I hope eventually they will.
And
those who know they are in the wrong must recognise that a contrite
heart is more valued and better example than arrogance, bluster and
confrontation.
As political leaders, we must also recognise that
what we say or fail to say to our followers makes a lot of difference in
how followers conduct themselves in national discourse.
I will not condone actions that will pitch one citizen against the other as a way of settling political scores.
That is unacceptable and will not be the Ghanaian way of doing things.
The
Ghanaian way should be that, under the Rule of Law, and with the
benchmark of due process, any violations of the laws of Ghana will be
addressed in the manner that is fair, balanced, and right in the sight
of God.
As a people, our greatest achievements have come when we
have lived up to the ideals that unite rather than divide us and have
attached ourselves to a common sense purpose. Let this day not just see
us enjoying just the holiday part of it; let us find time to reflect on
the way forward as we strive to build a Better Ghana.
We must
reflect on the legacies that our forebears bequeathed to us; consider
what we have added to that legacy, and commit ourselves to leaving a
solid legacy for the generations after us.
And for the school
children who have taken part in today’s parade as well as their
colleagues all over the country, it is the commitment of the a NDC
government to make sure that our term in office will see us restoring
hope and confidence in the future.
On behalf of the government, I
congratulate all of us for being part of the 52nd Independence Day
Celebration and my prayer is that we will all resolve to commit
ourselves to building Better Ghana.
Fellow Ghanaians, I thank you for your attention and may God continue to make our nation grater and stronger.
2. Inauguration Speech By President Professor John Evans Atta Mills Wednesday, 7th January 2009.
Madam Speaker,Vice-President John Dramani Mahama, Her Ladyship Chief
Justice, Hon. Members of Parliament, Our Chiefs and Queen Mothers, My
fellow Ghanaians.
I wish to begin by acknowledging the presence of my two
predecessors; former President Jerry John Rawlings and former President
John Agyekum Kufuor.
On behalf of our nation I salute you, Your Excellencies.
I
recognize your invaluable experience and deep insight into matters of
state and you will be important reference points during my tenure of
office as President.
I wish to extend a special welcome to our
distinguished guests who have traveled from far and near to witness this
momentous occasion.
Madam Speaker,
A short while ago I took the oath of office as the 3rd President of the 4th Republic.
With
a grateful heart, I want to thank all Ghanaians for giving me the
mandate to serve as President; you have changed the face of Presidency,
Parliament and the political process itself. The least I can do is to
work to your satisfaction and deliver on our promise for a better Ghana.
We
have emerged from one of the most keenly contested elections in the
history of our country. Our democracy has been tested to the utmost
limit. Thanks to the steadfastness of the good people of Ghana,
sovereign will has prevailed. We give thanks and praise to the Almighty.
At
this moment of joyful celebration, I hear a call to duty and I make a
pledge to you my brothers and sisters that I will strive to make a
difference in the politics of our nation.
This is the dawn of a
new era of change for a better Ghana. It is not change for change sake.
It is a change in a new direction to enable us move forward with unity
of purpose. Ours will be consensus driven agenda, and in building that
consensus we will recognize the contribution of our compatriots in other
political parties.
I have always said that I will be President
for all Ghanaians whether they voted for me or not, and without
consideration for which part of the country they come from.
It
will be my duty as President to heal wounds and unite our dear nation. I
intend to pursue relentlessly all avenues for entrenching peace and
unity in all parts of the country as I am enjoined by the constitution
to do.
We will not let the fear of crime rob law abiding citizens
of their freedom. Improving the internal security situation will
therefore be a top priority of the new Government so that Ghanaians can
begin to feel safer in their homes and communities.
Madam Speaker,
Our
politics will not focus on power and privilege. On the contrary we will
not forget the concerns of the Ghanaian people who want to see an
improvement in their living conditions. Willingness to put personal
advantage aside will therefore be one of the key demands on those who
will serve in the Atta Mills government.
Honesty, fairness,
compassion and sincerity will be the hallmark of my administration. I
have no wish to carry out political vendetta of any kind.
The
principles of accountability will be upheld. And the law will be allowed
to take its course. We have a duty to ensure that our laws are
administered without fear or favour, and to this end we must avoid the
syndrome of one set of laws for one group and another for the others.
We,
have a challenge to ensure that our laws work in a system that is blind
to one's place in society, or ones political persuasion. We will do all
in our power to ensure social justice, equity and equality under the
laws of Ghana.
There is only one Ghana, and that Ghana must work in the interest of every Ghanaian.
I
extend a hand of cooperation to members of the Judiciary, security
services and public service. I remind them of their obligations to the
state and urge them to be loyal and committed to the larger interest of
the Ghanaian people.
I also want to reassure the business
community that the Government which I lead means well. Our goal is to
facilitate creation of a business environment that balances the
resuscitation and growth of local industries and enterprises with
operations of foreign businesses considered essential to the creation of
a robust national economy.
We will not pursue a policy that sees
Ghanaian industries suffering from unfair competition. Our local
businesses will be encouraged to create jobs and play their role in
growing the Ghanaian economy. And we will strive to balance the
efficiency of the market with the compassion of the state.
We
made promises to Ghanaians on the strength of which they have reposed
trust in me and elected me and the National Democratic Congress to lead
our nation over the next four years, and hopefully beyond.
The core of our campaign message and our agenda for change was;
1. Investing in People
2. Job Creation
3. Infrastructure Development and Expansion
4. Open, Transparent and Accountable Government
Our
success in accomplishing the agenda for change will be measured by the
extent to which we realize the vision of a better Ghana where
opportunities are available to all our people and where Ghana’s
prosperity will reach all not just a few.
Madam Speaker,
We
will strengthen our relations with our neighbors and help accelerate
the processes toward economic integration in the sub-region. We will
continue to be active in the African Union and in efforts to resolve
conflicts on the continent. We will collaborate with the United Nations
and other international and global institutions to make the world a
better and safer place.
Madam Speaker,
When the political
transition is completed I will address the people of Ghana on the state
of the economy which we have inherited. But I know we have to face hard
truths and take bold, strong measures. I believe that as a nation, we
will find the strength of character, love of country, and hope for our
shared future as a nation, to accomplish even the most difficult of
tasks.
Though our task ahead presents many challenges, I am
confident that working together we will prevail and Ghana will be the
ultimate winner.
I want to tell you, my brothers and sisters
across our Nation, from Gambaga to Accra, from Wiawso to Keta, from
every village, nook and cranny to every city center and in-between.
Let
us join in this great challenge that the Almighty has laid before us,
so to transform our country in the years to come, that we may be the
ultimate beneficiaries of a prosperous Nation under God.
I thank you. God bless our Homeland Ghana and Make her great and strong.
Speech By H.E. John Atta Mills, President Of The Republic Of Ghana On The Occasion Of May Day Celebration, Friday ,May 01, 2009.
My brother Secretary General of TUC, My brother Chairman of TUC,
Leadership of Organised Labour,Your Excellencies and Distinguished
Invited Personalities
Colleague Workers of Ghana,
In the past, I participated in the May Day celebrations as Vice President.
In very recent times, I participated in the celebrations in my role as Leader of the NDC in opposition.
Today,
by the Grace of God, and thanks to your support, I join in this year’s
celebration as President of this dear country of ours.
I thank you for the opportunity to serve.
I
extend my greetings to you all and express appreciation to the
leadership of organised labour for the early manifestation of goodwill
towards the government especially your willingness to dialogue and build
consensus on a sustainable wage and salary structure for the country.
My
brothers and sisters, this year’s May Day celebration is taking place
against the backdrop of a global economic downturn which has serious
repercussions on economic policies and employment the world over.
In Ghana, and indeed in the developing world, we seem to have become used to economic crisis on a daily basis.
Therefore, to many, the situation now and before the global economic crisis is all the same.
There is the temptation to play down the extent to which the global situation can worsen the crisis we may have become used to.
We
face exposure to the current crisis because Ghana, like other emerging
economies, is more integrated into the international economy than
before.
And we are likely to experience the effect of the
economic downturn through dwindling donor support, a decline in trade
and reduced remittances and investment in the economy.
Aside the global economic crisis, our own management of the economy over the past several years has left a lot to be desired.
Indeed, what we inherited is a far cry from what was described as a robust and resilient economy.
However,
I am not interested in interminable arguments over who did what in the
past as far as the national economy is concerned.
We face challenges, and I do not believe the solution lies in constantly arguing or holding out the begging bowl.
Let us put aside partisanship and deal with the real issues.
In
much the same way as other countries have agreed on stimulus packages
which place emphasis on government interventions, we in Ghana must work
out our own homegrown solutions that will enable us weather the economic
downturn and enhance our capacity to provide social protection for
people facing the brunt of poverty.
I am interested in practical
outcomes and will continue to stress on the need for all Ghanaians to
work together for the common good.
We have no intention of
reversing the role we believe the private sector must play as the engine
of economic growth, but the circumstances surrounding the global
financial crunch point to the need to ensure strict application of rules
and regulations.
As a government, we will not hesitate to review legislation and agreement to make sure the people of Ghana are not shortchanged.
In
this regard, I have directed a review of the pension act passed last
year bearing in mind the lessons of how deregulation in the financial
markets has and the philosophy of each man for himself and God for us
all has brought the world virtually to its knees.
The Government
is critically examining all protocols and agreements, such as the
Economic Partnership Agreement, and will seek advice and inputs from all
key players in Industry, including Employers and Unions before taking a
decision on the matter.
EMPLOYMENT
The Government’s
social contract with Ghanaians is built on the firm belief that the
people have a right to decent living and well paid jobs and we intend to
promote and create employment opportunities in all sectors of the
economy.
Our employment strategies include assessing past and
current programmes such as the “Youth In Agriculture” and “National
Youth Employment Programme” and doing the necessary re-engineering that
will make them respond to present needs.
The Government is
committed to creating jobs in the economic and productive sectors such
as, Agriculture, Trade and Industry and Tourism.
Through our
programme of expanding infrastructure in the areas of, Housing, Public
Works, construction of Dams and the construction of roads, we hope to
provide more job opportunities to both skilled and unskilled labour.
Government
is putting in place support mechanisms to ensure the environment
remains friendly to both old and new investors by way of proper
legislation as well as improving public utilities delivery.
Wages and Salaries
My
brothers and sisters, I know that off all the things that matter to us
as workers, it is our wages and salaries that tops the list.
Let me assure you that the Single-Spine Pay Policy remains high on our agenda.
In
the Budget Statement, the Minister for Finance spoke about Government’s
commitment to fine-tune the Single-Spine Pay Policy taking into
consideration the concerns of all interested parties in order to build
consensus and overcome any implementation challenges.
At the end of February, Organised Labour and Employers met with the Ministers of Finance and Social Welfare.
Progress has been made on the discussions and Government is studying a Report submitted by a Technical Team for further action.
In
anticipation of the implementation of the Single-Spine salary,
Government is providing adequate funds and logistics to the Fair Wages
and Salaries Commission to execute its mandate.
Social Protection
My brothers and sisters, Government places a high premium on making sure that living standards are significantly improved.
Improving the living standards of especially the rural and urban poor is high on our agenda.
A lot of attention is being given to improving access to social services.
We
are introducing a range of social protection schemes in line with our
social democracy philosophy. We are providing security to the informal
sector, caring for the disabled as is evidenced by the establishment of
the Disability Council, and making sure that people living with HIV/AIDS
are not discriminated against.
We have already shown commitment
to our social intervention agenda by expanding the school feeding
programme, increasing the capitation grant, and working towards a more
efficient healthcare delivery system.
To begin with, we are in
the process of providing free school uniforms and free text books to at
least 1 million needy school children.
In the area of Agriculture, we have already provided a 50% relief on the cost of fertiliser.
Government
has also approved a sum of GHC 7.5 million for the continuation of the
Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme (LEAP).
Conclusion
My
brothers and sisters, I pledge myself to a committed approach to nation
building and a very strong determination to move Ghana to a higher
level of growth.
The Government I lead regards organised labour as an indispensable partner in our determination to build a Better Ghana.
We may not always agree, but as a Government, we will not be found wanting where truth and sincerity are concerned.
We will always seek to strike a meaningful balance between of workers and the economy as a whole.
Once again, Ayekoo, to you the hardworking Ghanaian workers.
God bless our homeland Ghana and make Her greater and stronger.
3. President J. E. A. Mills Address At The 64th Session Of The UN General Assembly
Mr. President, Permit me to join previous speakers in congratulating you
on your election as President of the 64th Session of the General
Assembly.
Your long and distinguished service to your country and Africa gives
us the confidence that we are in experienced and capable hands.
I
also wish to express my delegation’s appreciation to your predecessor,
His Excellency Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, for the able manner with
which he presided over the 63rd Session of the General Assembly.
Mr. President,
This
year marks the centenary of the birth of an illustrious son of Ghana
and Africa, our first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, under whose
leadership Ghana became a member of the United Nations on March 8, 1957,
only two days after achieving Independence.
We recall Dr.
Nkrumah’s proclamation before this august body on 23rd September, 1960,
during the 15th Session, that “the United Nations was the only
organization that holds out any hope for the future of mankind.”
It
was at the same session that he also called for the reform of the
Security Council in order to bring it in line with a rapidly changing
world.
More than forty years have since passed, and those views remain relevant.
Mr. President,
Then, as now, Africa faced deep crisis with profound and far-reaching implications for international peace and stability.
Today,
the combined effects of climate change, high food and energy prices and
the current financial and economic crisis threaten to erode the modest
but hard earned economic growth and democratic achievements of the last
two decades.
Africa remains volatile, and violent conflicts still persist.
Therefore,
we must all support the United Nations and its regional allies, such as
the African Union, to live up to these and other pressing challenges
facing the international community.
Mr. President,
We acknowledge that globalization has expanded and accelerated economic interdependence among states.
In
contrast, the benefits of globalization have been negligible in the
majority of developing countries and their economies have not been
transformed in any significant manner.
Despite almost a decade
of impressive growth of about 5 percent, only a few countries have been
able to reduce the proportion of their population living on less than
US$1 per day.
Consequently, most of the countries remain
susceptible to various external shocks which continue to pose threats to
their growth.
In fact, the over-reliance on high commodity
prices and mineral exports has not lessened, but rather exposed the
structural impediments to food security.
This is particularly
true of sub-Saharan Africa where the on-going world financial and
economic crisis threatens to erode decades of modest growth and thereby
make the Millennium Development Goals unattainable in any meaningful
way.
Ghana, therefore, reiterates her support for a global
integration that ensures inclusive and equitable development and
effectively contributes to substantial poverty alleviation, including
full and productive employment as well as broad access to social
services.
A number of developing countries, including those in
Africa, have taken various steps to mitigate the impact of the financial
crisis on their economies, including interest rate reductions,
recapitalization of financial institutions, increasing liquidity to banks, trade policy changes, and regulatory reforms.
In
Ghana, fiscal restraint has been exercised in response to the crisis,
including cutting all low priority public spending and shifting the
balance from recurrent expenditure to infrastructure investment.
In addressing the impact of crisis on their economies, African countries will like to see:
Rich countries making more effort to meet existing commitments on aid and debt reduction
Accelerating disbursements and improving access to existing financial facilities
Urging the International Monetary Fund to put in place a new facility
with relaxed conditions to support African economies during this crisis
period
A capital increase for the African Development Bank
to enable it to scale up its interventions in support of African
development
Sale of International Monetary Fund gold
reserves to release additional resources to help developing countries
deal with the financial crisis and
Issuance of new special drawing rights
Mr. President,
Prior
to the onset of the global crisis, namely the food and oil price hikes,
and the current financial crisis, a number of developing countries were
making tremendous efforts and progress towards achieving the MDGs.
Many
of them were implementing MDG-consistent national development plans or
poverty reduction strategies to accelerate the progress towards
achieving those goals.
Even under those favourable conditions,
there were concerns that the majority of developing countries,
particularly in Africa, were not on track to meeting all the MDGs by the
target date of 2015.
The rise in food prices in 2008 reversed
the nearly two-decade trend in reducing the proportion of people who
suffer from hunger in the developing world and this has been exacerbated
by the financial crisis.
Mr. President,
International
trade carries enormous potential for reducing poverty and driving
economic growth that can lift millions of people out of poverty.
The ongoing Doha Trade Round is committed, at least in principle, to improve market access for poor countries.
This
commitment is very important, especially in low-skill and
labour-intensive sectors such as garment manufacturing where most
African exports come from.
Sustained economic growth requires that poor countries increase their exports to the rich countries.
Unfortunately,
the current global trading system discriminates against developing
countries, hinders their participation in the global economy and damages
the earning opportunities of farmers and rural communities in poor
countries.
Trade-distorting subsidies, as well as tariff and
non-tariff barriers instituted by most advanced countries have denied
market access to African products.
For developing countries
like Ghana a meaningful liberalization must be accompanied by
predictable access to markets, eliminating abuse of anti-dumping
measures and the reduction of tariffs and non-tariff barriers.
Mr. President,
In
the face of all these developments, Africa acknowledges that our
efforts at achieving sustainable, social and economic development depend
essentially on our commitment to good governance.
In spite of
the difficult challenges, leaders across the continent have embraced
democratic values except in a few cases where narrow self interests of
leaders are threatening the commendable gains of the last decade.
Mr. President,
We are also confronted with grave risks posed by climate change to environmental, social and economic development.
The
need for concrete, timely and decisive measures to enable us to cope
with this largely man-made problem is obvious and must not be deferred
any longer.
As we proceed to the UN Climate Change Conference
scheduled for December 2009 in Copenhagen (COP-15), the issue of
financing mitigation and adaptation to climate change in developing
countries
will remain central in the deliberations, and in fact, progress on
these issues will be significantly crucial in determining any outcome in
Copenhagen.
Mr. President,
Peacekeeping operations have
undoubtedly played a pivotal role in the organization’s efforts to
fulfill its core obligation of promoting international peace and
security.
Ghana, as one of the oldest and consistent troop
contributing countries, deems it a matter of honour and privilege to be
associated with this success story of our Organisation.
We equally acknowledge that increasing demands have placed further strain on an already overstretched system.
It
is for this reason that we applaud and renew our support for the reform
process which has so far yielded fruitful dividends, although further
improvements are required if we are to achieve the ultimate goal.
Ghana
cannot but commend the growing cooperation between the UN and regional
organizations, and calls for its intensification to make the best use of
the cooperative strength of the UN and regional arrangements in a
mutually complementary manner.
Mr. President,
Next year marks the fifteenth year after the adoption of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
However,
the huge gap between policy and practice and the uneven progress in
implementing the international commitments on gender equality and
empowerment of women heightens the importance of creating an enabling
environment, through a more coherent, integrated and multi-sectoral
approach.
Over the years, Ghana has spared no effort in
implementing the Beijing Platform goals and has amply demonstrated its
commitment to promoting and ensuring gender equality and women’s
empowerment through concrete administrative, legal and constitutional
means.
In our efforts to achieve full and accelerated
implementation of these goals and objectives, the Government is actively
pursuing an Affirmative Action Policy which seeks to ensure 40 percent
representation of women in decision-making positions.
We have
made gains to this end as lucidly testified by the appointment of the
first female Speaker of Parliament, first female Attorney General, as
well as a number of female Ministers and Deputy Ministers. Also, other
professional women occupy high offices.
Mr. President,
At
the 63rd Session, this Assembly adopted a resolution that requested that
we improve our efforts and join together in backing the international
initiative against human trafficking and protection of victims.
We
concur with those who view the elaboration and adoption of a United
Nations Global Plan of Action as an effective and practical way to give
this resolution life and strengthen international efforts against this
despicable crime.
Our expectation is that the President of the
General Assembly will make this an urgent and priority issue for this
64th Session and I assure you of Ghana’s full commitment and support to
this cause.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, I would like to
note with regret that conflicts, particularly in the developing world,
have robbed us of the opportunity to improve the wellbeing of our
people.
Sustainable development can only be achieved in an international environment characterized by peace and security.
Ghana,
therefore, wishes to reiterate her commitment to the ideals of the
United Nations and will continue to live up to its charter obligations
and together with member states assist this organization in its task of
maintaining global peace and security.
Ghana believes that the
United Nations remains the ideal multilateral instrument available for
maintaining international peace and security and for promoting fruitful
international cooperation.
We must therefore strengthen our
resolve and muster the necessary political will to allow the UN to
function more effectively in redeeming the majority of our people from
war, disease and poverty.
My fellow Presidents; we in Ghana are
committed to building a Better Ghana; let us, as Presidents, commit
ourselves to building a Better World.
I thank you for your attention and God bless us all.
source: iNewsGh
