Accra, Ghana – Ghana’s president John Evans Atta Mills, on Thursday called for a united nation with a sense of purpose to build a prosperous country. In his 2011 State-of-the-Nation Address to Parliament, Mills touched on government’s programmes to improve the economy, security, health, agriculture, energy, sports, road and railway network and government’s position to use diplomacy to address the Ivorian crisis.

President Mills announced measures by his administration to tackle corruption and to re-open high-profile narcotic cases just before he assumed office in 2009, adding that government would not relent in the fight against corruption.

He also cautioned those interested in war mongering that their agenda would never see the light of day and that Ghanaians would not die but live to declare the glory of their maker.

President Mills said: “It is my firm conviction that if we spend a little bit more time looking up, instead of looking down, we will accept that we are a blessed people in a blessed nation.

“Madam Speaker, we have no other place called home; that is why we must allow the things that unite us to override the things that divide us.”

President Mills reiterated that Ghanaians were one people with a common destiny, and called for the forging ahead with a united sense of purpose in building a nation that this generation and future generations would be proud of.

“And let no one think that inciting or priming others for violence is the way to determine the outcome of elections,” the President advised.

The President said the challenges at the time he assumed office were more daunting than expected, but with prudent policy measures, and understanding and support of Ghanaians, macroeconomic stability was achieved in 2010, with year-on-year inflation declining further from 16 per cent in 2009 to single digit of far below nine per cent, the lowest in about two decades.

President Mills said inflation was an economic nightmare, bred financial instability and imposed hardship on the most vulnerable, and called for the nation to remain on course with this feat.

President Mills urged members on both sides of the House to approach the work ahead with common sense of purpose.

Pana 17/02/2011