Accra, July 28, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday granted audience to the Executive Director of the UNICEF, Ms Ann M. Veneman, who was in Ghana to observe at first hand the Accelerated Child Survival Development (ACSD) approach, which has helped to rapidly bring down child mortality in the Upper East Region.

The success of the approach has led the Government to adopt it as a nationwide strategy to reduce under-five mortality rate.

Ms Veneman described the trip as productive, saying; it had enabled her team to have a good view of their successes and where they would need to intensify their efforts. She identified the guinea worm disease, HIV-AIDS and proper nutrition as areas where community-based integrated approach could be used to help save lives.

President Kufuor expressed the hope that her organisation would focus more on Ghana and said the success story of the Upper East Region adding that the Region was doing well because of the educational support and the distribution of mosquito treated nets.

Also at the Castle to pay a courtesy call on President Kufuor was a delegation of the Assemblies of God Church led by the General Superintendent, the Reverend Dr William Dontoh.

They commended the Government for its development efforts that had won for the nation international admiration.

The Rev Dr Dontoh said the mention of the country's name now by those, who travelled outside, made things easier for them. The delegation used the occasion to formally invite President Kufuor to attend the Church's 75th anniversary celebration scheduled for August 6, 2006.

President Kufuor said it was good they were appreciating the efforts of the Government and said such encouragement went a long way to spur them on to work even harder. He recognized the contribution the Church was making to the progress of the country by way of provision of education and improving the moral fibre of the society. 28 July 06