President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the Council of State is crucial and relevant to the kind of governance that Ghana has provided since 1992. He said, “the framers of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana produced it to reflect our traditional system of governance and that is we think that there is the need to have such a Council to offer pieces of advice to the President and other executive members.” President Mahama stated this when he addressed the last meeting of the council at the Peduase Lodge in the Eastern Region Wednesday. The Council also took advantage of the meeting to present two different reports, compiled from March 2009 through December 2012. President Mahama said that although many people outside government had perceived the Council as irrelevant, it has been useful in providing information and pieces of advice that had helped in the development needs of the country. The President said the Council, in their deliberations, had been frank and open to the Presidency and their advice over the years has helped in the transformation of the governance system. He congratulated them for the advice they offered before and during the 2012 general election and promised to continue to heed to their advice. Professor Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council, appealed to the president to continue to tap the talents of members if even they are no longer council members after January next year. “Some of the members here may not have the privileges of wealth, but I can assure you we have the privilege of knowledge that can be useful for the development of our dear country,” he added.