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The Grand Debate hiccup, matters
arising
Gideon Sackitey, ACCRA, Ghanadot
The 9th Session of the Summit of the Head of States of
African nations took off in Accra with a call by President
John Agyekum Kufuor that steps towards a union government
should be critically examined before any decision was taken,
clearly pouring cold water on Libya’s Colonel Muammar
Ghaddafi’s idea of “union government now” concept.
The latter was conspicuously missing from the opening
session was reported to have refused to attend due to some
irreconcilable demands made by him and his security detail.
Ghaddafi roared into Accra by road from Tripoli at the
weekend with a string of over 100 Toyota Land Cruisers
preaching “Union Government Now”, but unknown to him that
there were also strong advocates of a gradualist approach
lurking on the sides ready to give him and those he shared
the idea with a tough time.
President Kufiuor’s pronouncements, by a number of people,
including journalists, were the clearest signal yet of a
Ghanaian position on the subject that has now been fixed for
Tuesday when the Summit closes. The event has been shifted
twice already.
The president challenged his
colleague leaders in the continent not to fail the people of
Africa and its future by taking unexamined decisions, as
they gather in Accra for the grand debate on the Union
Government.
His argument that Africa has a unique opportunity to
elaborate clear-cut modalities and signposts on how to
achieve our collective objective of the Union Government,
noting that the continent may be at a crossroads, but has
serious challenges to address other than a union government
that at this time in the words of a delegate could be fixed
far from the needs of the African citizen.
President Kufuor was optimistic that given the high sense of
responsibility to the cause of Africa, leaders would arrive
at a common understanding on the sort of “Continental
Government” they wanted for Africa and how to develop a
roadmap with time lines towards its realization. A clear
pointer that he was definitely looking beyond the Accra
Summit to produce the United States of Africa concept of
government.
The AU Chairman urged the debate to have positive attitudes,
political will and confidence, not leaving out the issue of
mutual trust, respect, fellow-feeling and abiding faith in
the great future that awaits Africa.
He expects what the leaders put forward to be the view
points of their people whose concerns and aspirations they
represent.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister Nana Addo Dankwa- Akufo-Addo at he
opening told Ghanadot.com that as the umpire at the Summit,
it was not prudent for Ghana to actually take a stand since
this could dampen the discussion completely.
When asked who was winning the debate of “gradualist
approach” versus the “union government now”, Nana Addo said,
“it was not a competition”, signifying that whatever
decision that would be taken at the Summit would be in the
interest of all.
But with countries such as South Africa, Libya and a few
others championing the quicker move towards a union
government and the developments on the opening day,
including serious security and communication glitches, it
looks that the so-called Grand Debate may not be that grand
after all since it looks like the wind is off the sails and
all is but still.
President Kufuor earlier asked his colleagues to bring the
good intentions of the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development, the continent’s development and economic blue
print, to bear on the lives of the ordinary citizens.
“We can do this through conscious efforts to integrate NEPAD
principles and sectoral priorities into national development
planning and processes, He added.
In the words of Dr Asha-Rose Migiro African leaders should
not to allow efforts in Darfur to diminish, but work hard to
take forward the peace agreements reached in that country.
Ghaddafi himself told President John Kufuor when he called
on him on Saturday night that the African Union was enjoying
"a historic hour" to take decisive action to end the
division and lift the continent out of backwardness and
poverty.
"We should make up for the past. We should not waste anymore
time. We have to take decisive decision for the realisation
of the vision of the continental unity championed by the
African hero, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah" ….
I have heard at the on-going Summit that a lot more is
required. But the truth of the matter is that there are
millions dying of hunger, disease and malnutrition, lack of
medical attention. Many are those who go to bed on an empty
stomach and may not understand this concept of AU. All they
want is a new life, a new beginning and a new purpose and
reason for living.
Are the leaders listening?
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