Accra, March 11, GNA - President John Atta Mills on Friday joined Muslim worshippers at the Abossey Okai Central Mosque in Accra, to offer prayers and thanks-giving to Allah for his goodness to Ghana in its 54 years of independence.

"No one can deny the fact that the Good Lord has blessed us with abundant resources, wisdom, knowledge and the wherewithal to develop the resources," President Mills said after the prayers. The Muslim prayers formed part of the National Week of Prayer and Thanksgiving, institutionalized under the Mills' Administration, to thank God for his goodness in granting the nation independence and sustaining the country peacefully.

It also formed part of the national Independence Day celebrations for which Ghana had its 54th last week on the theme: 93Discipline and hard work - Essential Pre-requisites for a Better Ghana."

President Mills used the occasion to urge Ghanaians to aim at the ultimate objective to use their abilities to the service of God and country.

He emphasized prayer with the Maker so that communication with him would not be lost.

"Let's pray, let's pray without ceasing, so that we may not lose the channel of communication between us and our Maker," President Mills said.

He gave thanks to Allah for his mercies and love, and the removing of obstacles, and focus on the direction he had given to the nation.

President Mills commended the Islamic faithful for heeding the call for prayers.

On the organization of this year's Hajj, President Mills said: I want to make sure the organization is flawless." While giving thumbs up for the organization of the last years Hajj, the President said, Government would give support to the Hajj. He, however, called on the Hajj Committee to ensure that there were more fairness, objectivity and transparency in the organization of this year's Hajj.

"With a little more effort, we'll be able to remove the pitfalls," President Mills said.

On the teachers' front, President Mills in an apparent response to agitations over the payment of the Single Spine Salary Structure said Government would not underrate their performances. He, however, called for the claim of rights to be made in a way that would maintain the peace of the nation.

"Let's pursue our rights in such a way in order to hold our heads, that we have fought a good fight but in the best interest of the nation," President Mills advised.

President Mills said Government had taken note of the Muslim community for Government to intervene to allow faithful to have their prayers in the boarding houses, teaching of Arabic in school and the inclusion of Islamic marriage regulation in the national statue books. Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, Advisor to the President, spoke of a number of Government interventions in the agriculture, education and the health sectors, and gave the assurance that Government would ensure accountability and use the resources to the benefit of the people. Sheikh Dr Osmanu Nuhu Sharabutu said prayers for President, the Government and people of Ghana.

Similar Christian prayers would be held later.