Sunyani, Jan. 16, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday called on Ghanaians to live in genuine national reconciliation and make conscious efforts to minimize tension within the society as the country celebrates 50 years of nationhood.

"We should endeavour to rise above our differences, seek what unites us and to believe in ourselves", he said.

President Kufuor, who was addressing the People's Assembly at the Christ the King Catholic Parish Hall in Sunyani, called on the factions to the Yendi crisis to see themselves as brothers and resolve their differences.

The whole of Yendi and indeed, all Ghanaians, he said, must lend support to efforts at bringing lasting peace to Dagbon.

The First Lady, Theresa, Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, ministers of state, some members of parliament, some members of the Council of State and traditional rulers were among the tall list of dignitaries present.

The People's Assembly, an initiative of President Kufuor, provides the opportunity for Ghanaians irrespective of social, political, religious or educational standing, to have face-to-face interaction with the President.

The Sunyani Forum was well attended as the Hall was packed to capacity and close-circuit television sets were mounted outside for people who could not enter the hall to follow the proceedings. This was the second time it had been held outside Accra.

President Kufuor said it was both sad and unfortunate that a few ambitious individuals are exploiting the time-tested institution of chieftaincy to create tension in the society.

"We should allow this institution to continue to be a rallying point for development and progress. Let me appeal to our chiefs to let the noble attributes of the institution come forth to enrich governance of our nation at the local and traditional levels."

Touching on the Golden Jubilee Celebration, he rallied the people to shed any doubt or misgivings they might have about it, saying, it must not be seen as something for the government and the ruling New Patriotic Party.

President Kufuor said given Ghana's checkered past and its current attempts at recovery, there could not be a better time than the Jubilee year to pause and reflect on the national vision and objectives at independence.

"This should help us to clarify parts of the vision that are blurred, discard objectives that are no longer valid and together cooperate to achieve the goals we have set for the next half century to accelerate our nation into the ranks of the advancing and indeed the advanced countries."

He therefore invited all the people, irrespective of political and religious and association as well as parliament, to become actively involved in the process and the spread of the "Jubilee Spirit" across the country.
President Kufuor alluded to the national totem, the eagle, and said the challenge was for all to raise their visions of themselves, their organizations and the country in the Jubilee year so that "with our sights high up, we will begin to fly very high among the advancing nations of the world where we should belong."