Former President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday sent a New Year message to Ghanaians in which he said it gave him great joy that the nation would enter the 2014 in peace and tranquility.

He said in a message signed by his Spokesperson, Mr Frank Agyekum, that 2013 was challenging and many were those who saw doom in the horizon.

“Once again the Ghanaian spirit of tolerance and good naturalness has endured. We must be thankful to God for his mercies and grace on us,” the message said.

It said 2014 could be a challenging one as tariff increases on utility services begin to bite and put an added strain on the already over-burdened Ghanaian and urged the government to take a critical look at its fiscal and monetary policies to rationalize the economy.

“Ghana is a land of plenty: Rich in Gold, Oil, Gas, Timber and highly endowed human capacity, among others. We should make all Ghanaians feel a part of the governance process and together build a nation worthy of its billing as being at the ‘centre of the earth,” the message said.

"Once again the Ghanaian spirit of tolerance and good naturalness has endured. We must be thankful to God for his mercies and grace on us".