IMF, others pledge support – to Kufuor’s administration
President moves into temporary office
No new contracts
Chief Directors, others in control at Ministries
No more tears - JAK
We are pledged to running an open govt – Elizabeth Ohene
Kufuor’s swearing in: State Protocol Sabotage
Don't expect change overnight
The house fit for a President
IMF, others pledge support – to Kufuor’s administration
President John Agyekum Kufuor began his first day in office at the Presidential Lodge at the State House meeting bilateral and multilateral partners, signifying his determination to confront headlong the country’s economic problems, the state-owned Daily Graphic reports.
Among those who held meetings with the President on his first day in office were the Country Director of the World Bank, Mr Peter Harold, Dr Girma Begashaw, Resident Representative of the IMF; Canada’s Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa, Honourable David Kilgour and Baroness Amos, a member of the British House of Lords.
In the process, the President received pledges of support from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for his policies of economic rejuvenation and adherence to the rule of law.
President Kufuor expressed his appreciation for the ‘clean bill of health’ given his government by the bilateral and multilateral partners and said the government has a realisable vision, but noted that the road to democracy is very difficult and delectable.
He said in order not to endanger democracy in Ghana all those who cherish democratic ideals must contribute to the economic development of the country.
In a related story, Canada on Monday announced the cancellation of 18.2 million Canadian dollars owed her by Ghana as part of a package of goodwill to the government.
Mr David Kilgour, the Canadian Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa who called on President Kufuor on Monday said the deal is part of a moratorium on debt repayment owed by 17 Heavily Indebted Poor countries (HIPC), which takes effect this month.
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President moves into temporary office
The President, Mr J.A. Kufuor, on Monday assumed duty using the Presidential Lodge of the State House in Accra as his temporary office.
According to Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Media Advisor to the President, Mr Kufuor would continue to reside in his private residence.
She said the Castle is yet to be ready and until arrangements are completed on a permanent presidential office, the President would operate from the State House.
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No new contracts
The President, Mr J.A. Kufuor, has directed that no new contracts should be awarded by any Ministry, Department and Agency (MDC) until further notice.
A statement issued and signed Mr J.K. Bebaako-Mensah, secretary to the Cabinet and reported in the lead story of the paper, said a freeze had also been put on all contracts that had been negotiated but not signed.
The directive takes immediate effect.
Meanwhile, President has appointed Mr Jake O. Obetsebi-Lamptey, the NPP Campaign Manager in the general elections, as the Chief of Staff, Office of the President with immediate effect.
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Chief Directors, others in control at Ministries
Work at the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Accra on Monday, the first working day of the new government was normal, says the Times.
A visit to their offices by the paper revealed that some Chief Directors and their frontline directors were in control of the various MDAs.
Mr H.D. Clerk, Chief Director of the Ministry of Interior, was overseeing the activities of the ministry although he admitted that certain issues needed political direction.
Mr Ken Anku, Head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Health, said that everything was going on smoothly without any hitches.
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No more tears - JAK
The Evening News says the inauguration of President John Agyekum Kufuor and his Vice, Alhaji Aliu Mahama at the forecourt of the State House in Accra on Sunday would go down in history as an event that set the nation unto the path of unity and reconciliation.
It said most of the people who witnessed the occasion were of the singular view, that if the spirit of cooperation that had been engendered between the NPP and the NDC could be nurtured, it would go a long way to setting the country on the right path.
The ceremony was witnessed by hundreds of people from all walks of life including the Presidents of Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, Senegal and the Vice-President of South Africa.
Although the ceremony encountered some organisational difficulties, the arrivals of dignitaries, especially Ex-President Rawlings and President Kufuor reportedly livened the place and made the 45-minute ceremony very memorable.
Most people that the Evening News talked to were happy about the peaceful change of government, which, according to them, offers great hope for the future.
“I can now sleep in peace”, a Burma War veteran, George Nkoom who despite his failing health made it to the ceremony reportedly aired.
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We are pledged to running an open govt – Elizabeth Ohene
The Crusading Guide quotes, the Head of Public Affairs of the ruling NPP, Ms Elizabeth Ohene as saying that the new administration is pledged to running an open government.
“It is the pledge of the President – so the idea is that we will make regular contacts with the press… we will give information rather than you trying to find information,” Ms Ohene told Joy FM, an Accra private radio, in an interview.
She said Mr Kufuor’s administration intends to give information about its activities, especially the problems it will be encountering.
She said since Ghanaians are the best judges of any administration, information would have to be made available to the populace to enable them understand the policies and problems of the administration, and assess its performance.
Quizzed whether she expects the same level of criticism from the media as was encountered by the NDC government she indicated that she would be surprised if the NPP government does not come under some level of criticism.
She gave the assurance that there will be regular press conferences, while the doors of the administration will be thrown open for easy assess to information at all times.
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Kufuor’s swearing in: State Protocol Sabotage
The Guide in a back-page capture says in what looked completely like a deliberate act to sabotage the swearing-in ceremony of Mr J.A. Kufuor as the President of Ghana, last Sunday, officials of State Protocol marred the beauty of the occasion.
It said from the Parliament House to the Independence Square, the State Protocol exhibited grave incompetence and shameful acts of neglect of duty.
All through the venues, dignitaries stood for several minutes as the limited seats that were provided could not suffice for all.
The paper also sees it as unpardonable, the lingual incapacity of the Master of Ceremonies at the Independence Square as he kept committing blunders in English and in a hoaxed voice.
The Guide however indicates that one significant thing that happened was the decoration of the Independence Square in the nation’s colours rather than that of the NPP.
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Don't expect change overnight
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has told Ghanaians that it would be unrealistic to expect change overnight from the new government.
A back-page story of the Statesman quotes the Nigerian leader saying during the inaugural ceremony of President J.A. Kufuor, that the process of change needs to be nurtured with commitment and trust in the Lord.
"You must bear in mind that all changes require sacrifice, even more when the change implies reversing a downward trend in your socio-economic circumstances," he said.
He urged President Kufuor to identify what needs to be done in order of priority, so that he does not let the people down, adding that although the task ahead is daunting, he should take heart, initiate effective policies and take measures that will earn his administration assistance from the international community.
Gen. Obasanjo referred to the long-standing fraternal relationship between Ghana and Nigeria and said his country will continue to support political stability, economic prosperity and the general well-being of Ghana, and was full of praise for ex-President Rawlings in working to strengthen ties between the two countries and ECOWAS.
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The house fit for a President
The Chronicle reports that its investigations and surveillance have revealed a renovated state house that, although, fit as a residence for the President of the country, was most likely intended for ex-President Rawlings on his retirement from office.
The house, bought 800,000 dollars from the Australians who had owned it when running an embassy in the country, has seen renovation to late June last year valued at over 12 billion cedis.
Chronicle said its investigations showed an unusual haste in extensive renovation work in the house - a night and day operation with full military round-the-clock guard.
A senior officer at the Prestige Department of the Public Works Department (PWD) failed to comment on the potential owner of the building but the boss of the firm in an interview with the paper said it was state property.
Speculations were rife that the former First Family was going to live there in the event of Prof. J.E.A. Mills' victory in the December elections and sightings of the ex-First Lady in the neighbourhood prompted suspicion that it may be true.
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