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The hope of many of an elaborate gift basket, known as hamper, from a government appointee, was dashed following a directive from President John Dramani Mahama to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to desist from using public resources for Christmas and New Year gifts. In Ghana it has become customary for private firms, government departments and individuals to send elaborate GIFT BASKETS to business colleagues and contacts. These gifts are packaged in beautifully decorated hampers filled with everything from wine, to mini bags of raw rice. But government announced in early December, that it had banned government ministries, departments and agencies from using public funds to provide Christmas gifts, thus essentially putting a grinding halt to an age-long tradition. A letter from the Office of the President and signed by the Executive Secretary to the President, Dr. Raymond Atuguba, asked Ministers of State and local government heads to ensure strict compliance with the directive at all levels of government, adding that �Heads of MDAs which flout the directive would be surcharged with the cost of same to serve as a deterrent to others.� The directive comes on the heels of the announcement of a 10 percent cut on the salaries of the President and Ministers of state last year by the government to fix what economists have described as an ailing economy. Speaking to Journalists at the Flagstaff House on Tuesday, President Mahama explained that his reason to banned Christmas hampers was to ensure transparent and accountable governance. �My government wants to be judicious and wise in the way we spend the resources entrusted into our care by the people of this great country.�That is way I banned the use of public funds for the purchase and distribution of Christmas hampers last Christmas. Sorry to anybody who was expecting a hamper and did not get it. I want to ensure that the people�s money is used in a manner that will bring the best and maximum benefits to our people,� he said.