Malian President Konare arrives in Accra
African leaders urged to show commitment to regional integration
Team embarks on tour to assess the country's libraries
Accra (Greater Accra) 20 May 2002 - Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare arrived in Accra on Monday for a three-day official visit to the country. President John Agyekum Kufuor met his guest, who was accompanied by 25 government officials including five ministers, on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport.
Also at the Airport to welcome the Malian leader were the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ministers of State, some members of the Council of State, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, members of the diplomatic corps and the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Seth Obeng.
A large crowd of Malian and Ghanaian nationals as well as school children thronged the Airport to catch a glimpse of the two leaders. In a brief interaction with newsmen, President Konare said during his leadership of the ECOWAS, a lot of progress was made especially in the areas of economic integration, construction and free movement of its people.
He said a lot of programmes and projects were on course and mentioned the monetary union, energy and communications as some of them adding that even though there was a lot to be done, it was evident that the people of the sub-region have the will to succeed. On Mali, President Konare said the country was more at peace than it was 10 years ago when there was a lot of trouble and insecurity across the country and two-thirds of the country was not covered by the national administration.
"Today the country is more reconciled, more democratic and making progress in the economic front." On the elections in his country, Mr Konare said governance could be likened to a relay race, which must be passed on to others to continue.
He said despite the few protestations during the elections, they were organised in an orderly manner and was commended by international observers. He said during his 10 years in office as President, Mali achieved a lot, but not everything, and since governance was an on-going process, " we have to hand over to others to continue."
"Most of the problems facing Mali is not our making and we must acknowledge that Mali's economy is dependent on cotton and gold that have seen a decline in prices against our wish." He said this coincided with the upward rise in the price of crude oil but "Malians have a lot of confidence in themselves and in the future and that is a good sign."
The Malian leader then inspected a guard of honour mounted by four officers and 102 men drawn from the 48 Engineers' Regiment under the command of Major Mohammed Mustapha with the Armed Forces Central Band in attendance.
Whilst in the country, the Malian President would hold bilateral talks with President Kufuor and attend a mini durbar at the Manhyia Palace, where he would confer with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene. He would also meet with African ambassadors and Malians in the country; address Parliament and lay a wreath at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 20 May 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday said the Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare was being honoured by Ghana for his distinguished stewardship and invaluable services to ECOWAS. He said President Konare performed his leadership role in ECOWAS with distinction that should be copied by all leaders in the Sub-region.
"Your invitation to Ghana was to be honoured for your distinguished stewardship and the invaluable services your leadership provided to ECOWAS which should be copied by all leaders in the Sub-region." President Kufuor was speaking when bilateral talks between Ghana and Mali began at the Castle, Osu.
He said the leadership qualities of President Konare had led to progress in the relationship between both countries and with his tenure of office coming to an end it was ideal he was honoured not only by Malians but Ghanaians, who shared their aspirations.
President Kufuor said relationship between Ghana and Mali had existed centuries ago before both countries achieved independence and this had continued to be strengthened. President Konare said a strong faith of relationship had been established between Ghana and Mali.
He said it was this strengthened democratic principles in the two countries which when copied in other countries would enable the African Continent to progress. President Konare expressed appreciation to his host for the invitation and honour when he had about three weeks to hand-over to his successor, General Amadu Tumani Toure, who recently won the general election in Mali.
Other activities planned for the visit include the opening of the Sahel and West Africa Club meeting in Accra. After the Ghana-Mali bilateral talks, a state banquet would be hosted where President Konare would be honoured with the highest state honour; "Companion of the Order of the Star of Ghana".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 20 May 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday said the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) would not be successful unless African leaders encouraged integration among their countries in the fields of trade and movement of people across their borders.
He said it was crucial that good governance became a uniform state of affairs across the borders adding; "our peoples should not be forced to move across borders as hapless refugees or displaced persons". President Kufuor made the remark at the formal opening of a meeting in Accra organised by the Sahel and West Africa Club on the occasion of a three-day official visit by President Alpha Oumar Konare of the Republic of Mali to Ghana.
The Sahel and West Africa Club is a forum of donor agencies, which creates, promotes and facilitates links between the public and private sectors in countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and West Africa with a team of experts based in Paris.
The club aims to direct West Africa's future from a regional point of view with specific importance to regional integration with the use of local resources to effectively meet the demands of a rapidly growing population. The two-day Accra meeting, which is being held under the theme: "Towards a Better Regional Approach to Development in West Africa", is to alert political decision makers and development actors of actual regional dynamics and their impact.
President Kufuor described New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) as a blueprint for African development and said in the NEPAD document African leaders have clearly demonstrated their commitment to take primary responsibility for the continent's development and for building an active partnership with the rest of the international community.
President Kufuor said colonial legacies of language barriers in the region should not be seen as obstacles but challenges that must be overcome to the advantage of the peoples of the sub-region. "If the peoples of the ECOWAS region become bilingual in French and English, this should open doors for all of us in the international market."
President Kufour observed that in spite of borders serving as barriers to peoples living along the territorial boundaries, there was still a substantial flow of people and goods between neighbouring countries in the sub-region. "We should seize the opportunity provided by this meeting to explore how to use these regional markets to make integration between Ghana and its French speaking neighbours practical and felt by the average man and woman."
President Konare expressed similar sentiments and said NEPAD was a special tool that could be used to accelerate regional integration. He condemned conflicts on the continent and said nothing could justify them in the current era of regional integration.
President Konare urged African leaders to harmonise their socio-cultural dynamics into their national development policies, as well as consolidate ideas and sensitise their people on regional integration. Madame Jacqueline Damon, Director of the Club, said Africans were prepared to co-operate for development irrespective of decision taken by politicians.
"The question is not whether regional integration is necessary, but as a factor of social development." She said the NEPAD vision would have to be transformed into realties by agreeing on limited set of conditions on West African integration Mr Joan Boer, President of the Club, said in spite of the uniqueness of the African continent, development could not be fully imported or exported "A future of the Sahara is not exclusively within the Sahara but without as well."
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Koforidua (Western Region) 20 May 2002- Mr. Yaw Larbi, a former student of the Koforidua Polytechnic, has suggested to the Electoral Commission (EC), to present pictures and symbols of candidates contesting the forthcoming District Assembly Elections on the ballot papers in a horizontal form instead of the vertical presentation used in the 2000 election.
He said such a presentation would help frustrate the attempts being made by some of the candidates to associate themselves with the slogans of some of the major political parties that participated in the 2000 elections.
Mr. Larbi who made the suggestion in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Koforidua on Friday said when he visited some of the centres the candidates were to fill their nomination papers, he realised that some of them were unduly delaying the process apparently to enable their symbols and pictures to appear at the bottom of the ballot papers if the vertical format of presentation was to be used.
Mr. Larbi said when he enquired about the reasons behind the delays, he found out that the delay was to enable those candidates who wanted to affiliate with the New Patriotic Party and to use the "Asieho " slogan during their campaign for the 2000 election, while those whose names or symbols would be published on top of the ballot papers could use the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2000 campaign slogan of "esoroho."
He explained that such developments, if unchecked would contravene the Local Government Act, which stipulates that people seeking elections into the District Assembly should do so on their individual merit and not to be affiliated with any political party.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 20 May 2002- The positive change the government and the church are yearning for would be a mirage if Ghanaians do not change their moral lives, the Reverend William Acheampong, has stated.
Preaching the sermon at the close of the 30th annual youth delegates' conference of the Asante Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Nsuta near Asante-Mampong at the weekend, he said the church had a crucial role to play in the moral transformation of the society.
Rev Acheampong, who is the Acting Youth Co-ordinator of the Asante Presbytery, told the youth that it was the duty of every Christian to seek real justice, freedom and lead morally upright lives. He therefore charged them to inculcate into themselves, the Presbyterian code of discipline, which demanded hard work and obedience.
Rev Acheampong asked the youth to lead the crusade against bribery, corruption, spousal killings, armed robbery and HIV/AIDS so as to bring peace and development to the nation. The Rev H.D. Asirifi, the second minister at the Yenyawoso Presbyterian Church in Kumasi, asked the youth to use their potential and talent to embark on evangelisation to win more souls for Christ.
He cited the examples of Presbyterian missionaries like the Rev Samuel Otoo and Rev Ramseyer who used their talents to uplift the church to win more souls. Rev Asirifi said the changes taking place in the Presbyterian Church would help build a solid foundation for the youth.
Rev Mrs Mavis Owusu Sarpong, who spoke on HIV/AIDS, advised the youth to abstain totally from pre-marital sex, pointing out that it was the only way to avoid contracting the disease. The Rev N.A. Agyire, Minister in-charge of the Nsuta Presbyterian Church inducted the newly elected executive under the chairmanship of Mr Claycious Wemegah into office. An appeal for funds yielded two million cedis.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 20 May 2002- A team working on the 'Save Ghana Library Project' would on Monday embark on a nation-wide tour to assess the situations of libraries in the country. The team, which will visit the 110 district capitals, will examine the existing infrastructure, landsite and areas that are demarcated for libraries in each district.
Nana Kweku Egyir Gyepi III, Founder and Caretaker of Sucardif Association, a non-governmental organisation, which is undertaking feasibility studies into the project, hinted the GNA in a telephone interview about the tour on Sunday. He said it would afford the team a first hand knowledge of the deteriorating conditions of libraries in the country as well as enable the group to complete its assessment.
Nana Gyepi mentioned that the project, which envisaged a modern computerised library for each district, would enable students to acquire more knowledge and information thereby enhancing education towards national development. He said plans were underway to network all the district libraries to a central point in Accra to enable users access relevant information that might not be existent in their libraries.
To fulfil this, he said, Sucardif was working to raise 30 million dollars from stakeholders, international donor agencies, private companies and individuals to bring the plans into fruition. He appealed to all District Chief Executives to provide the necessary assistance to the team to enable it work effectively.
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