President JEA Mills is interacting with editors of media houses in the country. He is expected to answer questions from the editors on various issues bordering on policies and actions of his government.
Follow us for live updates of the interaction.
Question: Are you a happy and contented man?
What are the things that make you sad about the nation and your appointees?
There are few women in government. Is ZITA still part of your administration?
Mills: I am happy and content. The government is striving to get 40% of women into government. He said women should be encouraged to participate in politics more.
Women should be encouraged to get more interested in politics
Zita is still part of government.
Those who have been left out in reshuffle are not out because of poor performance.
Mills: We pray we will be able to restore peace there…
Ivory Coast a matter of grave concern.
We signed ECOWAS Communique asking Gbagbo to step down.
Ghana’s position is that we support ECOWAS.
Ghana is unable to contribute troops to remove Gbagbo because our military over stretched.
Ghana has as many as 500 troops in Ivory Coast. Our men in Ivory Coast have said they cannot contribute troops to the Military force. Ghana is monitoring the situation there very closely and will ensure that peace prevails.
It is not true that Ghana is sending ammunition to Ivory Coast.
On my personal view I do not think that this military operation is going to bring peace to cote d’Ivoire.
“It is not for Ghana to choose a leader for Cote D’ivoire. I have spoken to both Ouattara and Gbagbo and I cannot make it public. I do not think the military operation will bring peace to the nation.”
Question: Dzifa Bampoe (Joy FM): You have been criticized by your own party for non-performance. What do say to your critics? Will you contest the 2012 elections?
Mills: At the appropriate time Ghanaians will get to know my decision. My government knows the problems of the footsoldiers. We laid the foundation in the first two years and clearing the debt left by the NPP. We have been making the necessary arrangements to take off. We are going to take off because we have the resources.
How do you respond to critics who say you have reneged on your promise to decrease petroleum prices?
Given the world crude price at the time I could have reduced the prices. But because of my promise, president Kufuor reduced the prices drastically. We are also unable to reduce the prices now because at the beginning of 2009, we met 1.488b GHC at the Tema Oil Refinery and apart from that price of crude oil in the last 14 months have gone up phenomenally.
It was not an easy decision to increase prices but we had to take such a decision.
I have been receiving calls from people throughout the country to increase the prices to help develop the nation. It is even a miracle that at this stage we can provide fuel to the country.
The NPP needs to apologise to the people of Ghana for leaving the 1.5
billion debt. The country must make sure there is fiscal prudence for economic growth. We cannot subsidize the fuel prices with money that should be used to develop the country.
Francis Sasu (GTV): How true is the Wikileaks report that you said some of your appointees have been compromised?
Mills
When I met a US official in my office I briefed him and expressed fears about the drugs situation. I never accused any of my colleagues of peddling drugs. I will not stand for people who think they have money and would want to run over any body.
Alhaji Bature (Bilingual Free Press): Why haven’t you opened investigations into past cocaine allegations? Why haven’t you been organizing the People’s Assembly?
Mills
How many Ghanaians do not see me on television talking on issues. Must is always be formal?
Working to strengthen the law on drugs to be able to take on the drug peddlers.
Raymond Archer (Enquirer): How do you reshuffle your appointees and what differently do you wish to achieve with this new team?
Mills: At some stage I have to introduce people to join the team. It does not mean that those who have not been reassigned are incompetent.
Haruna Atta (The Mail): What reconciliation package do you have for Dagombas and what suggestions do you have for succession of a Dagomba king?
Mills: I cannot tell the Dagombas how to manage their succession. There are other measures being put in place to reconcile the people but we cannot publicly state them.
Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah (Joy FM): You said your ministers were going to incorporate into their agenda job creation modules, is it still in place? What about evaluating the work of chief directors?
Mills: Ministers have responded positively. But we are yet to bring it to the public domain.
On the performance contracts the evaluation and monitoring team at the presidency is working feverishly on it.
Kobby Fiagbe: Are you planning to remove the Chief Justice?.
Mills: Stand there and look in my face. Do I look like cut-hunter? Laughter.
Gideon Aryekwei: In your sober moments, what are you doing to unite your party amid the many controversies and critisims?
Mills: I have never been non-sober. When I came into office I was actually shocked to see the state of the country. But for the support of my colleagues it would have been difficult because the account was empty. The promises made were based on what we heard whiles in opposition.
Eyram Acholatse: Are we going to see a prosecution strategy for high profile cases and what does the action year mean for the ordinary Ghanaian?
Mills: The wheels of justice grind slowly but I never said I was going to haul people before the courts unjustifiably. When you send people to court, it is not within your power to determine what happens to them.
What is government doing about militant behavior of party footsoldiers? Will you include Spio-Gabrah in your government?
Mils: I will appoint Spio-Garbrah whenever I think it is expedient. Footsoldiers are also of concern to the government.
Malik Baako (Crusading Guide) As part of the Top 50 achievements by the NDC; Funds and loans have been secured for fishing boats landing sites and cold stores. Please give the history of the loan facility and how they were secured.
2. In the oil industry, the petroleum agreement passed by Parliament seemed to have been cancelled by a minister of state. Can a minister arrogate himself the power to issue an administrative fiat to cancel an agreement passed by Parliament?
Mills
For all the years no body has been able to secure the loans for our fishermen. It was through my personal ingenuity that that our donor partners have agreed to give us loans. The agreements have been finalised and will be sent to Parliament. At the moment the Chinese Ambassador in Ghana is in Cape Coast for the building of the Kotokuraba market and Cape Coast Stadium.
A minister has every right to question the legal basis of some agreements and the procedures it was followed.
What ingredients make up the action year? Explain why you appoint someone only to realize that professor Awonor has already appointed another?
Mills: All appointments are made by the president. It is possible for someone to suggest a name to the president but the president has the final decision to appoint someone.
Emefa (Choice FM:) What is the state of your health?
Mills: My only problem is sinus which I have suffered for years but God is keeping me alive. People wrote me off, that I won’t last three months, but I’m still here.
Ransford Tetteh (Daily Graphic): Does the action year include the implementation of the one-time premium and what about the opening of community radio to boost press freedom?
Mills: For 2008, 118 million Ghana cedis was owed to the National Health Insurance Scheme and government is working to clear those debts. For months, service providers were not paid and we could not implement the one-time payment under those circumstances.
Community Radio stations are not a bad thing and that will be good for the local areas.