USA confident of peaceful elections in Ghana

BY EDMUND SMITH-ASANTE

Ambassador Donald Teitelbaum

The United States of America’s (USA) Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Donald Teitelbaum, has expressed his country’s confidence in the peaceful and democratic conduct of Ghana’s December 2012 elections.

Ambassador Teitelbaum, whose four-year term as the United States’ representative in Ghana ends this month, was speaking at the USA’s 236^th Independence Anniversary and National Day celebration, which was marked in Ghana with a reception at the United States Embassy in Accra Thursday, June 29, 2012.

Using the occasion to also deliver a farewell speech to the Government and people of Ghana, he said;“I am sad to be leaving just as a new election process gets into top gear, but I must say that I am confident the process and the outcome of the process, will live up to the highest standards of the people of Ghana.”

“Democracy, freedom and the respect for human rights have been and will continue to be among the shared values that bind us so closely,” the outgoing Ambassador affirmed.

Recounting the good moments he has experienced during his term as US Ambassador to Ghana, he said “in the past four years I have accompanied two Ghanaian presidents to the White House and accompanied President Obama to the Castle.”

For his part, Hon. Fritz Baffour, Minister for Information who represented the Ghanaian President, H.E. John Evans Atta Mills, stated; “We intend to ensure that the good people of Ghana exercise their votes in a free, fair and transparent manner.”

“It is our expectation that the period before and after the elections will be peaceful, to send a clear message to the world that Ghana is still a bastion of democracy, peace and stability on the African continent and a shining example worth emulating,” he added.

Stating that Ghana and the United States have been bound together by the common desire to pursue democratic ideals and economic growth to ensure better life for their people, Hon. Baffour expressed the appreciation of the Government and people of Ghana to the United States Government and people, for their enormous contribution and support towards Ghana’s development efforts and democracy over the years.

The occasion also saw presentation of the United States colours and was well attended by members of parliament and government, traditional chiefs, members of the diplomatic corps among many others.

Meanwhile, Gene A. Cretz, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor, will replace Donald Teitelbaum as US Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana, says a statement issued by the White House April 11, 2012. The new ambassador is expected to take office in the early weeks of July 2012.
Outgoing Ambassador Donald Teitelbaum was nominated by George Bush March 5, 2008 and sworn in on July 16, 2008.