A Member of the Coun­cil of State, Mr Joseph Henry Owusu-Acheam­pong, has said the varied political mind sets of mem­bers of the council do not in any way influence the advice they offer to Presi­dent John Evans Atta Mills on issues of national inter­est and concern. "The Council of State is, therefore, not a rubber stamp institution designed to do the bidding of the President, as sections of Ghanaians perceive," he said. Mr Owusu-Acheampong, who said this in an interview in Accra Wednesday, explained that members of the council had different political, educational and religious backgrounds which truly made it a non-partisan organisation whose ideas and opinions were devoid of political colouring. He said the council was truly committed to the gen­eral aspirations of the mass­es of the people and would not, under any circumstance, sacrifice its mandate on the altar of political expediency. "Since we are the repre­sentatives of the people, our major task is to advise the President on pertinent national issues which pose considerable challenge to the well-being and develop­ment of the people," he said. Speaking on the compo­sition of the council, Mr Owusu-Acheampong explained that 10 of its members were elected, oth­ers were appointed by the President, while the rest were institutional representatives. He further explained that majority of the members were retired civil and public servants and others from the security apparatus who had gained considerable experi­ence from their respective job designations. "The President has, there­fore, at his disposal an array of refined and brilliant minds who are prepared to place their rich and diverse expertise to ensure the forward march of the country," Mr Owusu-Acheampong said. He pointed out that their decisions were normally informed by their regular interaction with their regional constituents and the numerous memoranda dispatched to them by the public. The member of the Council of State said members were aware of the degree of poverty and deprivation in the country and its impact on living standards and would, therefore not toy with the nation's development. "It is the wish and prayer of members that through the pieces of advice we offer the President, the lives of the peo­ple will be touched and transformed for the better," Mr. Owusu-Acheampong said. Source: Daily Graphic