Kufuor Tells His Last Story Today

How President J.A. Kufuor has executed his vision of a' humane and prosperous nation in the past seven years of his administration will be the highlight of his last State of the Nation Address to Parliament today. In view of the forthcoming general election, the President is also likely to renew his call for a smooth campaign by all political parties, as well as reiterate the government's pledge to ensure a level electoral playing field, which is vital for free and fair palls acceptable to all parties and the public. At a joint press briefing in Accra yesterday, the Press Secretary to the President and Presidential Spokesman, Mr Andrew Awuni, said the President would have a lot to share with Ghanaians in his address, after seven years of offering leadership inspired by the philosophy of development in freedom, with strong emphasis an the rule of law and good governance. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD, Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei, also used the occasion to brief the media on the three-day visit by President George Bush to Ghana. The President's State' of the Nation Address is a statutory requirement under Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution which enjoins the President to give account of the state of the nation. Mr Awuni said President Kufuor would fulfil that constitutional obligation by delivering the eighth and last State of the Nation Address of his two-term presidency, which had registered remarkable transformation in critical areas of national life. He said the President's New Year message and the November 15, 2007 Budget Statement and Economic Policy for 2008 could give sights into the likely issues in this year’s State of the Nation Address. Mr Awuni said the pertinent theme that ran through those two messages presented by the President or on his behalf was that Ghana was today in a healthier state. "The President is likely to reinforce that declaration in his address and encourage Ghanaians to tap into the fortunes that had accrued to the nation as a result of seven years of pursuing sound economic management and good governance," he stated. The Press Secretary was of the view that the 1 policy of the President to strengthen the purchasing power of Ghanaians to improve their living standards and how to make the local economy more robust would engage the President's attention in his State of the Nation Address.