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General News of Friday, 22 December 2006

Source: Victor Emmanuel Smith

JJ's Christmas Message

PRESS RELEASE

Dear Editor,

The following is a Christmas message from His Excellency, The Former President to all Ghanaians and I would be grateful if you could make it public :

[ Dear Friends,

It is my sincere hope that the coming festivities will impress upon all of us the imperative need for National Unity.

We must all help build a National Unity which transcends ethnic, political, class and professional boundaries. This can only happen when each and every one of us demands that our political, religious, academic, industrial and traditional leaders pursue a bold and sincere course towards real Good Governance - one that eschews Corruption, Nepotism, Tribalism, Cronyism and Political Cynicism. And for as long as we maintain a passive or indifferent attitude towards the persistence of these socially divisive tendencies, we would have betrayed the developmental trust and aspirations that our People (from whom we derive our power and social influence) have reposed in us.

I pray that, as we celebrate the Yuletide of our Lord Jesus Christ this year, the Good Lord will give us the wisdom and courage to demand from our leaders that Ghana and its people deserve Real and not window-dressed Equality of Opportunity for individual and collective progress.

In this season of Peace and Goodwill we are also reminded of our obligations to one another and to our nation. The joy of sharing a time of celebration cannot be meaningful unless we are mindful of the disadvantaged, the weak and the distressed and unless we are committed to the work of establishing a country in which Social Justice prevails.

My family and I wish you and your families and our dear country, a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Jerry John Rawlings Former President of the Republic of Ghana]

Thank you.

Most Sincerely,

signed

Victor Emmanuel Smith
Special Assistant and Director of Public Affairs