President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo has admonished Zambians to close their ranks in the interest of nation building.
He observed that developments in that country and the political tension that characterized the last elections where the margin of victory for the winner was some 100,000 votes, had left many worried, because Zambia is one of democracy’s success stories on the continent.
Speaking at a state banquet held in his honour by the president of the Republic of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, during his 3-day official visit to that country on Tuesday, he noted, “I have not come here to pass judgement, neither have I come here to find out who is right or who is wrong.”
Appeal
Instead, he indicated, “I have come here to say that as political actors, whether in government or in opposition, we should prove to the world that we respect the rule of law and are willing and able to submerge our individual and partisan preferences for the common good in the development of our countries.”
He charged, “We should demonstrate that it is not the ambitions of Mr. A or Mr. B, neither is it the fortunes of party X or party Y, which we seek to advance. The stability and progress of Zambia, and indeed, of all our countries, and the enhancement of our democracies should be the paramount consideration that must guide every action of Zambians and all of us Africans in our respective countries.”
Concerns
Whilst thanking the people and successive governments of Zambia for the hospitality extended to Ghanaians resident there over the years, President Akufo-Addo raised for the consideration of the relevant authorities a matter which has been outstanding for some time.
“This involves the longstanding issue of the non-payment of pension monies due a group of retired Ghanaian teachers who have contributed towards educating a large segment of the Zambian society.
“It is time this issue was satisfactorily resolved, and my information is that, happily, positive efforts are now being made towards that end. Let the end come soon,” he appealed.
Ghana-Zambia Relations
It was the hope of President Akufo-Addo that Ghana and Zambia continually search for ways to co-operate during the tenures of office of the two leaders.
“I have no doubt that together, we can forge a new, strong partnership for cooperation between our two nations for the mutual benefit of our two peoples,” he added.
The New Africa
President Akufo-Addo reiterated his persuasion that Africa is breeding a new generation of leaders “who are committed to governing their peoples according to the rule of law, respect for individual liberties and human rights, and the principles of democratic accountability.”
These leaders, he stressed, “are looking past commodities to position their countries in the global marketplace at the high end of the value chain; leaders who are determined to free their peoples from a mindset of dependence, aid, charity and hand-outs; leaders who are bent on mobilizing Africa’s own immeasurable resources to resolve Africa’s problems; leaders who recognise the connectedness of their peoples and economies to those of their neighbours.”
This generation of African leaders, according to President Akufo-Addo, must not fail the longsuffering African masses, stressing, “They must help bring dignity and prosperity to our continent and its peoples.”
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent