President John Evans Atta Mills has praised his ministers and appointees amidst accusations by former President Jerry John Rawlings that he has surrounded himself with greedy bastards.

President Mills, who is also the leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), showered praises on the appointees in Ho when he met delegates and other leading members of the party, at the residency of the Volta Regional Minister, Joseph Amenowode.

The President, according to sources at the crucial closed-door meeting, asked rhetorically, “Who are the greedy bastards?” in an obvious reaction to Mr Rawlings’s accusations that he had surrounded himself with greedy bastards.

President Mills explained that most of the ministers in his administration worked under former President Rawlings before and during his (Mills) tenure as Vice President and so he did not understand why the same people were being described as ‘greedy bastards’.

“So now tell me, who are the greedy bastards?” he asked.

He said he was happy with his ministers and other appointees and noted that when given the mandate on July 9, in Sunyani to lead the party for the 2012 polls, the NDC would retain power and continue the ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ which would eventually be felt by all Ghanaians.

Prof. Mills, who was said to have spoken for about 10 minutes, appealed to the delegates to respect the outcome of the Sunyani congress. He also advised them to desist from acrimonious campaign for his endorsement.

The Volta Regional Minister, Joseph Amnewode told the delegates that the performance of the President in the region was unmatched and that the only way the development could continue was if he was given the mandate to lead the party in 2012.

He noted that the promise of a university, the eradication of schools under trees, the eastern corridor road and many other proposed projects were on course and that with the endorsement and re-election of President Mills, all these would come to fruition.

Akua Sena Dansua, Minister for Tourism, who represented the Volta Ministers Caucus, pledged the support of the group for the President and urged the delegates to do same in Sunyani.

The Ho Central MP, Capt (rtd) George Nfojoh, who spoke on behalf of the Volta MPs Caucus, noted that the many projects scattered all over the region only required continuity, for which reason President Mills had to be endorsed to finish what had been started.

Moses Azaglo, who spoke on behalf of the Volta United Cadres Front, told the delegates that it was too early to change a sitting President and that no matter the acrimonies in the party, the NDC could not risk losing power to the NPP after just a term in office.

He noted that a vote for Mills was in the best interest of the NDC and for that matter it was important that all delegates voted in that direction.