Accra, July 27, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Monday asked Ghanaians to stop looking at serious development issues through the lenses of the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party.

He said President John Evans Atta Mills had repeatedly said that he was a father of all and this must be reflected in the way Ghanaians approach investment and other business issues. Mr Mahama made the request when he met with a delegation of the Ghana Printers and Paper Converters Association, who paid a courtesy call on him at the Osu Castle.

He said government was committed to the promotion of everybody's business especially local investors, no matter their religion or political affiliation.

He observed that he was being tagged as being on the pay-roll of Zoomlion simply because he inaugurated a quarry established by the organisation.

" We should rise above this kind of pettiness, which does no one any good," he said.

Mr Mahama said as much as government would support foreign investors it would as well promote indigenous Ghanaian businessmen and women as far as they remain competitive.

He said any policy obstacle that discriminated against the Ghanaian investor to favour the foreign investor would be addressed. The Vice President noted that foreign investors eventually repatriate their profits, which creates s a telling effect on the cedi while the Ghanaian investor has to spend the money in the country, which is more beneficial to Ghanaians.

Mr James Appiah-Berko, President of the Association who led the delegation presented a memorandum to Mr Mahama, which listed some challenges facing members.

He said the Ghanaian printers and publishers had the capacity to print all Ghanaian textbooks but they had remained uncompetitive because they pay 32 per cent tax, which involved Value Added Tax while the books printed abroad attract no tax.

Mr Appiah-Berko said each publisher had the capacity to employ about 2,000 workers, offer in-service training to national service personnel and allow students who are in the printing industry to do their attachment with them. Mr Mahama assured the association that he would give the memorandum the needed attention. 27 July 09