Polls Ghana - Ghana’s President John Evans Atta Mills has reiterated his government's commitment to staging peaceful elections in December and providing a level playing field for all. “The year 2012 is a special one because we are scheduled to have presidential and parliamentary elections,” he said in a New Year broadcast on Sunday. 'I will like to assure all Ghanaians of the commitment and determination of my government to ensure that we have a level-playing field, and that the election would be free, fair and transparent, and so doing we will be granting Ghanaians their major wish to have peace before and after the election,” he said.

He also called on Ghanaians to pray for the nation and live in harmony as the country prepares for the vote.

President Mills expressed his profound gratitude to Ghanaians for bearing with his government even in times of difficulties.

“I am also particularly grateful to Ghanaians from all walks of life for their support and understanding. Admittedly, it was not all smooth sailing in the year 2011.

“We had challenges, difficulties, there were conflicts, there were disagreements, some of them even violent; and yet we were able to overcome them because of hard work and God’s blessings,” the President said, adding, however, that in 2011, Ghana recorded the highest economic growth in its history.

The President said 2012 would see rapid infrastructural developments with the approval of the US$3billion Chinese loan facility, and pledged his government’s commitment to ensuring that the loan facility was used judiciously and wisely.

'As a government, it is our responsibility to ensure that the facility is used judiciously, wisely and responsibly. We must be able to account to the people what we have done with these resources and our people must see the benefits that flow from the utilization of this facility,” President Mills said.

Pana 02/01/2012