Accra, Jan. 1, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Saturday praised Ghanaians for their invaluable contributions to national progress and called for more commitment and hard work for the realisation of nationa= l aspirations.

He said Ghana is the only nation for the motherland and its development rested in the arms of the citizens themselves.

In a New Year message to the nation, President Mills stressed hard work= , commitment and the desire to do a little more for the nation. While thanking God for the bounteous blessings, grace and mercies on th= e nation the past year, which had also kept many alive into the New Year, President Mills urged Ghanaians to focus on the ups of the past year and learn from them.

The President said the New Year would come with challenges just as the past year, but he expressed the conviction that with love for God and country, Ghanaians would overcome them for more successes. "As we sail across the tempestuous seas, our vessel would be buffeted= by storms, but we need not fear; with God in our vessel we'll smile at the storms," the President said, and urged Ghanaians to spend more time looki= ng up, and appreciate the divine blessings over the past year. The President, who later summed up the message in the Fanti language, recalled the poring of first oil in the Jubilee Oil Fields in the past year= , thanked former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufour for their presence at the event, which added colour to the ceremony. President Mills commended Ghana's sportsmen and women for their explo= its in the past year, and congratulated them on the honour bestowed on the nation.

He recalled his declaration of 2011 as Action Year and assured Ghanaian= s that the Government was committed to invest in human development, expand infrastructure, build a strong, robust and resilient economy and run an honest, truthful and and transparent administration. "On behalf of myself, the Government, the NDC and my wife Naadu Mills, I wish you the season's greetings and a happy, prosperous and purposeful and blessed 2011. "May the God Lord bless our Nation and make our Nation greater and stronger," President Mills said. 1 Jan. 11

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