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Education is key to a dignified
position for Africa -Kufuor
From Kwaku Osei
Bonsu, GNA Special Correspondent, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
and Tobago
Port-of-Spain, Aug. 1, Ghanadot/GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor
has asked Africans to build self-confidence through
education to assume more dignified place in society.
The frontier the black race has to cross now, he noted, was
not physical but about how to liberate themselves from
psychological and mental slavery and the key to achieving
this was education.
President Kufuor was delivering a message at this year's
Emancipation Day celebration at the Brian Lara Pomenade, a
square in Port-of-Spain, capital city of the Caribbean
archipelagic state of Trinidad and Tobago, where the
declaration of emancipation was made 170 years ago.
This was just before the start of the joyous street parade
and cultural village to usher in the celebrations.
Dancing to the sound of African drums and chants, the
participants, dressed in traditional garb paraded the
streets in a colourful spectacle.
The event is held annually on August 1, to mark the end of
slavery.
President Kufuor, who was specially invited to join in the
celebration, said given the critical role of education in
Africa's quest to liberate the minds of the people and
provide equal opportunity for all, Ghana has introduced
universal free basic education.
He said he was happy to hear that Trinidad and Tobago was in
the process of doing a similar thing.
President Kufuor expressed optimism about Africa's future,
saying, power, be it economic or political was shifting
around the globe. Africa was waking up to take its rightful
place in the world and added "Africa truly counts".
Meanwhile, President Kufuor has held bilateral talks with
Professor George Maxwell Richards, the President Trinidad
and Tobago, to renew their resolve for closer economic
co-operation between the two nations.
Energy, agriculture, education, tourism and bauxite mining
dominated the discussions.
The two leaders re-affirmed their commitment to co-operate
in the sectors of education, agriculture and tourism.
Mr Khafra Kambon, Chairman of the Emancipation Support
Committee, said the heroic struggle of the ancestors should
inspire Africans to fight to restore the dignity of the
black race.
Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to President Kufuor, said
the Caribbean state, which has been in the oil and gas
production industry for more than 100 years, pledged to
share its enormous experience with Ghana.
GNA
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