Accra, Dec.15, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday commended the Council of State for their invaluable advice to the Government in the performance of its work.
"You gave invaluable advice to the Government and the application of some of the advice in its work culminated in Ghanaians renewing its mandate for another four-year term. The Government shares this honour with you", he said.
President Kufuor gave the commendation in remarks he before the third quarterly meeting between the President and the Council at the Castle, Osu.
He said both institutions worked together and the success was shown in the people's renewal of the Government's mandate to continue to serve the country and improve on their socio-economic development. President Kufuor said the Government would continue to rely on the advice of the new Council yet to be composed.
"We will continue to need good advice and would ensure that if even changes are made in the current composition of the Council, the standards set by the Council would be maintained", he said.
Mr A.K. Deku, Acting Chairman of the Council, expressed appreciation for the cordial relationship and the co-operation that existed between the two institutions during the Government's first term of office.
"We have no doubt that this relationship will continue during your second tenure of office and our successors", he said.
Mr Deku, a Former Commissioner of Police (CID), expressed the Council's gratitude to President Kufuor for his letter dated December 13 to the members that acknowledged their contribution to his success. He said: "On behalf of the Council of State, I wish to congratulate you and your team for your well-deserved victory at the last Presidential and Parliamentary Elections."
The Council also congratulated the Chairman and members of the Electoral Commission (EC), development partners, security agencies, observers and the media for ensuring free, fair and violence-free elections.
"The Council would like to thank Ghanaians for demonstrating to the whole world that our democracy has come of age and can be compared to any such system anywhere in the world", Mr Deku said. Article 89 of the 1992 Constitution stipulates the establishment of Council of State to counsel the President in the performance of his functions.
A member holds office until the end of the term of office of the President unless he or she resigns, becomes permanently incapacitated or removed from office or dies.
They meet at least four times in a year at a place and time determined by its Chairman. It holds its meetings in camera but may admit the public to any meeting whenever it considers appropriate. The Council was inaugurated on Tuesday, June 19, 2001 and held their first meeting the following day. 15 Dec. 04