ISD News File, Monday Dec. 13, 2004

PRESIDENT ATTENDS CHURCH SERVICE TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD

President Kufuor yesterday attended a church service at the Christ the King Church in Accra to give special thanks to God for his 66th birthday and for the renewal of his mandate for another four-year term.

Preaching the sermon, the Very Reverend Seth Osei-Agyeman, Secretary-General, of the Catholic Bishops Conference, stated that ?with God, all things are possible?.

Making reference to the epistle of St. James, Rev. Father Osei-Agyeman said, Ghanaians must do away with the practice of blaming others for their failures in life?.

He advised Ghanaians to put the elections and their attendant acrimonies behind them and forge ahead in truth, unity and love to develop the country.

?It does not matter whether you voted for the NDC, NPP, CPP or PNC, once development is our agenda, we should use the weapons of the word of God-truth, love and unity-to build the country?, he stated.

Rev. Osei-Agyeman led the church to pray for the President and his family, the government, political parties and the rest of Ghanaians for God?s direction, love and mercy, as they engaged in various activities towards national development.

The President was accompanied by his wife, children, extended family members, friends, well-wishers and some ministers of state. Also at the service was Mr. George Opesika Aggudey, presidential candidate for the CPP in the just-ended elections.

PRESIDENT CALLS ON PARTY FAITHFULS TO RESPECT SENSIBILITIES OF OPPONENTS

President Kufuor has appealed to supporters of the NPP to respect the sensibilities of their opponents in the just-ended general election in order not to breach the peace and stability of the country.

He told enthusiastic supporters of the party who had besieged the forecourt of his private residence yesterday that ?this is hard won but sweet victory that you must celebrate but remember not to offend your opponents in the process?.

President Kufuor told the supporters amid cheers that ?renewal of my mandate begins the process of Positive Change Chapter Two and calls for merry making, jubilation and praise to the almighty God but let us also remember that with the polls over we are one people, one country with a common destiny?.

?This is the time to extend the hands of friendship in unity so that we can concentrate and build the economy to provide the needs of all?, he added.

PRESIDENT SAYS SUCCESSFUL POLLS IS VICTORY FOR GHANA

President J. A. Kufuor has stated that the successful conduct of the December 7 polls has showcased Ghana to the world as a mature and united society, a beacon of democracy with a peaceful, stable and secured environment for its people and foreigners.

In a victory statement to the press at his Airport area residence in Accra on Friday, President Kufuor said, the peaceful and transparent nature of the polls had demonstrated the country?s commitment to democratic governance and its acceptance of the NPP government?s policies.

The elated President, supported by his wife Theresa, Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, some Ministers of State, and party functionaries, declared: ?In a clear and convincing voice, the electorate has renewed my mandate to lead Ghana for another term of four years. I accept the endorsement with thanks and in humility. I thank God for being with me and the whole nation?.

PROFESSOR ATTA MILLS CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT KUFUOR

Professor John Atta Mills, presidential candidate for the NDC has congratulated President Kufuor for emerging victorious in the December 7 presidential election.

Professor Mills has also sent a message of goodwill to Mr. George Aggudey of CPP and Dr. Edward Mahama of PNC for participating in the contest.

In a statement to the press in Accra on Friday, Professor Mills also acknowledged the contribution of Ghanaians and the staff of the Electoral Commission for the successful election.

UK LAUDS PRESIDENT KUFUOR

Britain has congratulated President Kufuor on his re-election and praised Ghana for holding free, fair and transparent elections.

In a statement released by the Foreign Office, the British Minister for Africa, Mr. Chris Mullin, said ?the high turnout and the overall transparency, fairness and freedom of the electoral process are a tribute to Ghanaian democracy.

?I would like to congratulate President Kufuor on his victory, and look forward to working with him and his government to further develop the excellent relations that exist between our two countries?, Mr. Mullin said.

WORLD LEADERS GREET PRESIDENT KUFUOR

Some world leaders have sent congratulatory messages to President John Agyekum Kufuor for his victory in the December 7 polls. There have been similar messages to the people of Ghana on the successful conduct of their presidential and parliamentary elections.

The messages came from President George Walker Bush, of the United States of America, President Thabo Mbeki of the Republic of South Africa and Dr. Olajunja Kolapo, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana.

A message from the United States government noted that ?the US government congratulates the people of Ghana for the successful completion of the presidential and parliamentary elections in a transparent, fair and primarily peaceful manner?.

It said the landmark event demonstrated to the sub-region, the entire African continent and the rest of the world that democratic values and institutions were firmly established in Ghana.

In a similar message, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa extended his heartfelt congratulations to President Kufuor on his re-election as President.

He noted that the electoral process in Ghana beared testimony to how important the respect for democracy and the institutions it created was in ensuring peace and good governance in Africa. It said bilateral political relations between South Africa and Ghana, one of the most stable multi-party democracies in the West African region were good.

The Nigerian High Commissioner, Dr. Olajunja Kolapo, on his part congratulated the country generally for having had a peaceful democratic election and particularly, President Kufuor for his re-election.

He stated that, he hoped the good relationship that was presently being enjoyed by the two sister countries continue.

?EMERGENCE OF THIRD PARTY SLIM?

The Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic development (CDD-Ghana), Professor Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi has said that judged from the performance of the NPP and the NDC in the recent elections the possibility for the emergence of a third party in Ghana was very slim.

He said, the performance of the two parties gave a strong indication that Ghana had a natural two party system-be it the UP-CPP or the NPP-NDC.

Professor Gyimah-Boadi, who was speaking in an interview with the GNA described the elections as very competitive and noted that the fact that some NPP heavyweights lost their seats to the NDC was significant.

COMPANIES PAY CLAIMS TO ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI

Five insurance companies in the country have paid a total of $5.8 million in insurance claims to Anglogold Ashanti at a ceremony in Accra.

The five companies jointly insured the pit from Anglogold Ashanti with the help of international re-insurers.

They are Met Insurance, who had 61.5 per cent in the syndication, Enterprise Insurance, 10 per cent, State Insurance Company, 20 per cent, Vanguard Insurance, 3.5 per cent and Ghana Union Insurance five per cent.

The claim, described as one of the highest in the industry, even internationally, followed the collapse of a pitwall at Anglogold?s Bibiani mines.

The Chief Financial Officer of Anglogold Ashanti, Mr. Kweku Akosah-Bempah, indicated that the company had paid a total premium of $1.8 million for last year for the mine, which has a total value of $55 million.

ELECTIONS DECLARED FREE, FAIR

The Head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Elections Monitoring Team that monitored last Tuesday?s election, retired Sierra Leonean Chief Justice Desmond Fashole-Luke, has commended Ghanaians for the manner in which they went through the elections peacefully.

Mr. Justice Fashole-Luke, who was speaking to the GNA on the committee?s findings on the election, said almost every member of the 19-member team agreed that the ?election was peaceful, well organised and the electorate as well as the officials conducted themselves, in such a manner that is commendable?.

?The people of Ghana and the Electoral Commission (EC) are to be congratulated on an outstanding performance. What we saw warrants emulation?, he stressed.

On his views on the few reported incidents that occurred during the election, Mr. Justice Fashole-Luke said, those were normal occurrences that characterized elections the world over.