African should overcome social and economic challenges

(Special AU Summit report, Accra)

The Chairman of African Union, and also the President of Ghana, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, has assured his African leaders and governments to put up proper measures that would improve the human resource base of the continent.

He said the continent has rich natural resources which are second to none all over the globe.Nothwithsatnding; it has been described in many unsavory remarks such as “the last frontier for economic and social development” and “a scar on the conscience of humanity”.

He said the litany of factors which have combined to slow the continent’s advancement includes slavery, colonialism, diversity of culture, language barrier. Also illiteracy, conflicts, wars, religious disaggrements, diseases and recently border tensions generated by artificially imposed colonial boundaries have contributed to Africa’s woes”.

This was said at the opening of the 9^th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, in Accra. The AU chairman said after the liberating individual countries on the continent, the pioneering leaders were confronted with the looming obstacles of economic and social challenges which dogged their development efforts in the immediate decades after Independence.

According to President Kufuor, all leaders should admit that those decades were marked by bad governance and impunity in most of the countries.

This, he said have nictitated the current crop of leaders in Africa to create the African Union and also adopt the New Partnership of African Development NEPAD.

President Kufour said lack of political good will and commitment on the part of the component government implementing the various protocols sating of the regional grouping are slowing down the pace of integration. “African can be said to be running against time in its effort at integration”. He therefore said the continent must leapfrog to attain a dignified and promising place in globalization process.

He challenged his peer governments commit in implementing the protocols which are dedicated to the integration programmes, which among these are the free movement of people’s and goods the establishment of customs unions, common currencies and markets, harmonization of the security policies and programmes, the creation of stand by forces to unpin peace and stability without which there can be no development.

He said leaders should put in place 3infrastructure programmes which include transportation and telecommunications network, and pooling of energy must be undertaken as top priority projects to open up the continent.

On the part of the Deputy Un Secretary General, Dr. Asha Rose Migiro, she urged leaders and governments to draw hope from the sustained economic experienced in many African countries in recent years. “African enterprises are generating stronger domestic investment and productivity gains. And many of your countries have made further advances towards transparent and democratic governance”.

Report: Daniel Nana Aforo