Kumasi, April 20, GNA- Mr Gordon Wetherell, British High Commissioner to Ghana, has urged the media to work hard to sustain the country's democratic dispensation.

He said a free and vigorous press is an essential safeguard to democratic systems and to free and fair elections in every society. Mr Wetherell was speaking during a courtesy call on Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister in Kumasi on Monday. The High Commissioner, who was accompanied by his wife, was in Kumasi to acquaint himself with the social and economic activities in the metropolis.

Mr Wetherell said his government would continue to ensure peace in the West Africa sub-region.

He said there were a lot of things Ghana and Britain could do together in the areas of education, health, cultural and in business investments as a way of cementing the bilateral relations between them. Mr Boafo said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government under President Kufuor was sincere in its promise to ensure free and fair elections this year.

He said if Ghana had peaceful elections, it would mean that democracy had been successful in the country and this would come about with the full support of its development partners.

The Regional Minister appealed to the High Commissioner to help the Regional Co-ordinating Council to organise capacity building programmes for staff, the Council and technology transfer programmes for young artisans at the Suame Magazine.

He said the people of the region were highly industrious and would need the continued support of the British government to improve on their lot.