Africans Urged To Be Optimistic
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Freddie Blay, has urged African nations to frown on cynicism and sarcasm, while cultivating the virtue of optimism in their quest to develop into a First World continent.
He said there was no need for African countries to “raise their hands in frustration” and harbour the conviction that the situation was hopeless.
“The indications are that the future holds open promise of a new, more cohesive community, linked by shared democratic values in spite of drawbacks and challenges here and there ... We should encourage each other to look for the sunlight through the clouds,” he said.
Mr Blay made the remark in Accra yesterday when he launched the 3rd Daily Graphic Accra Governance Dialogue on the theme: “Effective democratic governance: The role of stakeholders” and a book titled The 2nd Daily Graphic Governance Dialogue, which is a compilation of presentations made during last year's dialogue.
This year's dialogue is scheduled to take place from August 5 to 6, 2008 at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The event is under the auspices of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) with sponsorship from the Finatrade Group and Stanbic Bank.
The Dialogue seeks to provide a platform to highlight governance issues in Africa to help improve upon the quality of life of its people.
Among other objectives, this year's dialogue aims to make civil society aware of their roles in shaping the destiny of their countries, review progress of the democratic process in the West African sub-region, and share experiences on how to improve upon the democratic process in the sub-region.
The dignitaries expected to speak at the two-day forum include the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas; the Director of the Legon Centre for International Affairs, Prof. Kofi Kumado; the Executive Director of Abantu for Development, Dr Rose Kutin Mensah; the Executive Director of the Justice and Human Rights Institute, Prof. Ken Agyemang Attafuah; and the Head of Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Department of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Dr Kwesi Enning.
Participation in the dialogue is free and open to the general public.
Although the organisers claimed to have sent invitations to all the political parties for the launch, only the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) were represented at the function.
The NDC was represented by the General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and the Director of International Relations, Mr Kofi Attoh.
Present at the ceremony were the Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ibrahim Awal, management and staff of the company, as well as a cross-section of the general public.
Mr Blay, who represented the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes, described the theme for this year's dialogue as most appropriate because bad governance had “invariably contributed to the retardation of development on the African continent, stunted its growth and arrested the prosperity of its people”.
He said the failure of democratic institutions to function properly weakened their legitimacy in the eyes of their citizens.
Mr Blay urged speakers at the Dialogue to help African governments draw lessons from the past in order to face the future with confidence.
He commended the GCGL for publishing the book on the 2nd Dialogue and recommended it to politicians, bankers, journalists, professionals and all those who believed in the development of Africa.
The Managing Director of Stanbic Bank, Mr Alhassan Andani, said good governance underlined the true essence of democratic stability for the enhancement of business growth.
He said Stanbic Bank, as Africa's largest bank,was not only interested in the Dialogue for the sake of Ghana but expressed the hope that as governance improved, business on the continent would also improve.
The Corporate Affairs Director of Finatrade Group, Mr John Awuni, pledged the continued support of his company to the organisation of the Dialogue because it believed in the vision of the GCGL.
He said the success of this year's election was not the responsibility of the Electoral Commission (EC) alone, pointing out that the political parties and, indeed, everyone had a responsibility towards ensuring that goal.
The Krontihene of Akuapem Traditional Area, Osahene Offei Kwasi Agyeman IV, who is also the Chairman of the GCGL Board, said interactions with some people indicated that the previous Dialogues were beneficial to Africa's development, hence the increasing interest and patronage in the event.
The first copy of The 2nd Daily Graphic Governance Dialogue was auctioned for GH¢2,000 and bought by the Finatrade Group.
Story by Kofi Yeboah & Kimberley Robertson