The President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Wednesday said his administration acknowledges the contributions of previous regimes towards the material development and social improvement in the living standards of the people. He explained that the current administration, in the same vein, expected future governments to also recognise its role towards the revamping of the economy and improvement in the quality of life of the broad masses of the people during its tenure of office. He explained that that practice when encouraged by current and future governments, would deepen the country's democracy and promote genuine reconciliation and national cohesion, prerequisites for the country's future wellbeing and development. President Mills made the remark when Ambassador Charles R. Stith, the Director of the African Presidential Archives and Research Centre, presented a document on the 2009 Africa Leaders State of African Report to him at the Castle, Osu. The President said it would be an act of ingratitude on the part of his government to play down the role that previous administrations played in the promotion of the physical development of the country. He said the time had come for political parties which had managed and would continue to manage the country's affairs not to play the ostrich but duly accord one another dignity and respect for their roles in ensuring the forward march of the country. He said his administration was committed to the establishment of a new political culture which would acknowledge the contributions of political parties, economic as well as social groupings in the country. He remarked that his administration was also open to criticism from all political parties, including the ruling party, since the government was not the paragon of scholarship and wisdom. President Mills said since the government assumed office in 2009, it had tolerated criticisms from all political groupings which had, over the period, expressed their concerns over how the affairs of the country were being run. For his part, Ambassador Stith commended President Mills for displaying sterling leadership qualities, ever since he assumed office, stressing that his commitment to democracy and the rule of law was worthy of emulation by other African leaders. He further praised the country for choosing multi-party democracy as the path for its economic and social reconstruction and added that Ghana had become a bulwark of democracy on the African continent. Ambassador Stith enjoined the political leadership of the country to endeavour to continue with its frank exchanges on the state of the economy to ensure that only good policies were initiated for the well-being of the country. Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana