Contributing to the BBC World Debate programme in Cape Town last Friday, President Kufuor said the focus of his administration on good governance, among other priorities, was a contributory factor in creating economic opportunities for the country.
The Premier of Kenya, Mr Raila Odinga; the General Secretary of Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Mr Tendai Biti; the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Ms Jendayi Frazier; the Vice-President of World Bank for Africa, Ms Obiageli Ezekwesili; and Chairperson of South African Industrial Development Corporation, Ms Wendy Luhade; were the other participants who joined President Kufuor in the debate on the topic: “Political Transitions-Africa’s Achilles Heels”.
President Kufuor said his government inherited an economy that was in bad shape in 2001 but decided to rebuild it using good governance as part of his strategy. “Good governance is critical and basic for economic growth,” he stated. He said people in Africa were learning fast and the advent of Information Communication Technology had given them the opportunity to know what was happening in the rest of the world.
On some of the problems and solutions of Africa, President Kufuor said colonialism created a situation where many African countries were granted independence and ushered into nationhood without taking into consideration the ethnic diversity of the people. Again, he argued that colonialism imposed artificial boundaries and did not groom visionary and philosophical leaders who could constitute the critical mass to look beyond the boundaries and develop independent African countries.
The President underscored the need for an evolutionary process in which political parties in Africa would be committed to constitutional arrangement to ensure smooth transition from one administration to another.
Premier Odinga and Mr Biti shared the sentiments expressed by President Kufuor. Mr Biti said the deficit in Africa was the absence of institutions that could protect and guarantee democracy on the continent. “Democracy and constitutionalism are preconditions for economic transformation,” he said. Mr Odinga said the widespread of the use of mobile phones could help to check dictatorship in Africa because the people could share information and knowledge about developments in a political culture.
Meanwhile President Kufuor returned home last Saturday night after attending the 18th World Economic Forum in South Africa and the 4th Tokyo International Conference on Trade and
Development (TICAD) in Japan. He was met on arrival by Vice-President Aliu Mahama; Ministers of State; the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lt Gen J.B. Danquah; and the Inspector General of Police, Mr P.K. Acheampong.
From .happyghana.com
