President John Mills has defended his decision to embark on the business trip to the US during the Christmas holidays. He told a section of the media on his return on Saturday he had to sacrifice his holidays all in the interest of the country. The opposition New Patriotic Party chided the president for embarking on the trip, especially when he (President) had spent a little over a month in Canada and US on official duties as well as his leave of absence. The NPP head of communications Nana Akomea told Joy News, the real reason for Mills' trip could be any other thing but business. But on his return on Saturday, President John Mills told a section of the media, his return trip to the US was in the supreme interest of the country. “...I had to take a very important decision. I had a few assignments to undertake in the US. I told myself, why don’t you take advantage of the holidays? Instead of spending your holidays in Ghana, you could kill so many birds with one stone; forgo part of your holidays, go to the US and make the necessary contacts. Which i did,” the president explained. He said his trip could only be a sacrifice in the supreme interest of the country. “So, I rather sacrificed part of my Christmas holidays to perform an important task on behalf of our dear nation and I have no regrets for so doing,” he added. President Mills also dismissed assertions that business transactions could not be held during the Christmas holidays, insisting, “In the US the 26th is not a holiday. It is the 25th and I used those days.” Play the attached audio for excerpts of President Mills' comments