The Convention Peoples Party (CPP) on Tuesday joined millions of Ghanaians celebrating the New Year with a message invoking good healthy, happiness and prosperity upon each one in 2013.

“Much has happened during the past twelve months with many events and incidents, which have impacted on many lives. Our hearts are with the families and friends of all the victims of accidents and tragedy.

“Though we have had the all-important sixth election of our fourth Republic, some challenges remain for our democracy. By all standards however we have every reason to be thankful for good fortune in many homes, in many respects and for the continuing peace of our nation,” the CPP stated in a statement to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

The statement signed by Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah, Chairperson and Leader of the party, said the aspirations of every Ghanaian can be summed up in a single sentence: “to achieve a higher living standard by improving living conditions for people, and providing increased opportunities for employment”.

The CPP said while some found hope, a great many more are affected by the consequences of the common evils of poverty, disease, ignorance, mismanagement and corruption.

“Our aspirations for every citizen are for a better healthcare system, a better access to quality education and easier and equal access to opportunities, particularly for the youth.

The party urged “the youth to be strong, of good character, of great moral courage, humble, hardworking, polite, responsible, reliable and scrupulously honest, for these are the virtues on which we can build Ghana and make it a prosperous and happy place to live.

“The youth must remember that the world is still a parasitic one in which ten per cent of the world’s population live in luxury on the labors of the other ninety percent. It is against this system that the CPP exists to fight.

“In or out of parliament we will continue to be the voice of the voiceless, champion the cause of the weakest and disadvantaged in our society. We will continue to be the Social Conscience of the nation.

“The CPP will march forward with Ghana’s youth who must at all times remember that the party will stand behind them as the bulwark of their assumptions.

“We must look to this New Year and in the next four years as a new age for our country, a new age to hold government truly accountable, as a new opportunity to restore hope and optimism,” the party stated.

It noted that as it learnt from the failures of the past, “we must use lessons learnt from Election 2012 to ensure that our country is taken on a path of self-reliance, self-sufficiency and away from dependency.

“This is the time for everyone who loves this country to reject apathy, indecision and mismanagement and help shape in our country, an age of delivery, delivery on the basics of life.

“An age where the national wealth must be built up and used for the welfare and happiness of our citizens. An age where the citizens of this country share in the economy of the country and have control over it”.