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Statement on nomination of vice-president by President Mahama � Tsatsu Tsikata It is quite sad to hear of some of the comments from some people on the nomination of Amissah-Arthur by President Mahama. It makes one recall, painfully, that similar comments were made when John Evans Atta Mills was chosen in 1996 as running mate to President Rawlings. Some claimed he was not known in the party, that he was not political enough, et cetera! In the end, the country today bears testimony to the wisdom of that choice. The huge benefit the nation has gained through the historic contributions of president mills as Vice-president, as president and, indeed, when he led the NDC in opposition, underlines our deep sense of loss and our grief as a nation. Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur played an important role in the development of Ghana�s economic recovery programme in 1982. He was one of the young economists who were actively involved in undertaking the economic analyses that culminated in the formulation of the economic recovery programme and its implementation. That economic recovery programme has been the basis of the successes in economic policy-making for the country since 1982. It was the basis of the recovery of all sectors of the economy. Our exports, notably cocoa and gold, were soon revived and the economy was turned around. Our nation regained its footing and direction and, in a decade often referred to as Africa�s lost decade, Ghana was a shining star, recording year after year of economic growth. Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur played his part in that success, even if in a quiet and unheralded manner. He became a deputy minister of finance after his initial work and clearly served with distinction during much of the period of the economic recovery programme both for the nation of Ghana and for the National Democratic Congress (ND) when the party came into being in 1992. It is also worth pointing out another important role that Amissah-Arthur has played for our country. He was on the first board of directors of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation when it started operating in march 1985. That board, chaired by Alhaji Mahama Iddrissu, began the building up of a strong and credible National Petroleum Corporation that has effectively partnered international oil companies over the last three decades to undertake oil and gas exploration in Ghana. The role of Amissah-Arthur in this important institution �building for the country, at a time when many were sceptical about the potential for finding and producing oil in Ghana, must not be forgotten. Finally, it must be said that the President, John Dramani Mahama, has decided on Amissah-Arthur as vice-president at this time following the sad passing away of President Mills. That is his constitutional prerogative, with the approval of parliament. No doubt president Mahama and his vice-president �to-be, Amissah-Arthur, are conscious of the historic responsibilities on their shoulders at this time and will rise to the occasion for the sake of mother Ghana.