Accra, Feb. 25, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills has directed Ministers of State to produce sector blueprints for job creation by June this year.

In addition; all sectors should mainstream job-creation into their programmes.

These are part of a grand scheme for job creation, promised in the manifesto of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to invest in people, create jobs and run an open, honest and transparent government . President Mills announced these directives in his second State of the Nation address to Parliament in Accra on Thursday.

He said inculcating in the youth the spirit of nationalism, self-belief and belonging, would be paramount in the Better Ghana agenda. "We will give more meaning to arts and culture as a potent educational tool to drive the programme of nation building. The Education and Culture Ministries are being mandated to collaborate in this regard," President Mills said.

On the exploits and gallantry of the national team, Black Stars, and victory of the Black Satellites in their recent continental and global assignments, President Mills expressed confidence that the Black Stars would reach for the finals in the World Cup tournament in South Africa next June. He recalled commitments made in the first State of the Nation Address to Parliament last year among which he promised to take a different political path to empower Ghanaians to believe in themselves.

This, President Mills said, was exemplified by the Black Stars who made Ghana proud by reaching the finals in the African Cup of Nations in Angola 2010.

He said "Ghana football is on the ascendancy and like our footballers, we, as Ghanaians, should also believe in Ghana and in ourselves". President Mills commended the Government's economic management team for their efforts in bringing the economy back on track.

He said there were challenges in tackling the unsustainable budget deficit, unpaid bills, arrears and crippling judgment debts. President Mills said: "We had to take bold and difficult measures to achieve fiscal consolidation and macro-economic stability.

"We meticulously assessed all the arrears and commitments in the pipeline and this enabled us to devise a credible "Arrears Clearance Strategy" and avid excessive pressures and current and future budgets". He noted that this had earned commendation from the private sector in both national and international circles and sent a message of government's determination to come to terms with the economic challenges. 25 Feb. 10