Accra, March 6, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday assured Ghanaians of his resolve to hand over to his successor, come January 7, next year, a united and peaceful country.

He therefore invited all the people to accept to play their respective roles, individually and collectively, more responsibly to make "Election 2008" a big success.

Addressing a spectacular parade of the security agencies and school children to mark the 51st Independence Anniversary Celebration, he said there were examples of peaceful and prosperous countries that had sunk into anarchy and civil strife because of flawed elections. To this end, he charged the Electoral Commission to ensure that the integrity of the electoral machinery and its personnel was not in doubt.

"I call on the Commission to referee the electoral proceedings including registration, voting, counting and declaration of results with impartiality, neutrality and transparent to make the contesting parties and the electorate to feel proud of the outcome, win or lose."

This year's parade incidentally the last to be addressed by President Kufuor in his capacity as Head of State and Commander-in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces was formed by 42 officers and 900 men of the security services and 480 school children.

Also on display were some tactical military vehicles and equipment depicting the readiness of the Ghana Armed Forces to defend the territorial integrity of the state and to protect the country's fourth Republican Constitution.

President Kufuor, who described his tenure as straddling the close of the chapter on Ghana's first 50 years of nationhood, and opening the chapter for the next 50 years to complete the first Century as a "watershed" expressed confidence in the country's future. "The platform is strong, set and ready for accelerated development. All the requisite assets to achieve the status of middle level income economy within the next decade are in place."

He said there should be no doubt that with awareness of the nation's improving fortune backed by the people's determination to come together, Ghana would attain middle income status within the next decade.

"This is what Ghana incorporated is all about, a nation with varied assets, the latest addition being oil, jointly owned by all its citizens."

President Kufuor however, pointed out that the assets could only grow through discipline, hard work and good work ethics. Turning to the security services, he commended them for the role played to support and to sustain the nation's governance since 1992. "They continue to ensure law and order as prescribed by the national Constitution. This way, they are also playing their role in guaranteeing continuity in governance, which is a prerequisite for peace and national development."

To the country's youth, he asked that they should work hard and strive for excellence.

President Kufuor thanked the nation for the opportunity to have served as President for two terms and authorized the award of the 50th Independence Anniversary Commemorative Medal to all personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces, Police Service, Prisons Service, Fire Service, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service and the Immigration Service who were in service as of March 6, last year.