AU urged to move from rhetoric

Hohoe (V/R), May 26, GNA - Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of Gbi Traditional Area on Thursday entreated membr states of the African Union (AU) to move away from rhetoric and give deeper meaning to the aspirations of Africa's regional grouping.

He said time has come for all Heads of State to champion the tenets as enshrined in the road map to absolve the continent from disease, poverty, corruption, underdevelopment and undemocratic tendencies.

Togbega Gabusu, who was speaking to the Ghana

News Agency at Hohoe commended AU for commemorating the

Day, which he said was to sensitise member states and their citizenry.

He called for economic and technological emancipation

and empowerment, tools necessary for socio-economic advancement of the continent.

Togbega urged African heads to eschew self-centredness or egoistic traits but champion the course of the underprivileged masses.

He called for active promotion of regional integration and unity, intra- African trade links to give boost to the primary products, which abounds on the continent, for favourable trade terms globally.

Togbega Gabusu, who is also the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs appealed to the continent's heads the provide the essential leadership, which seemed to be eluding Africa.

He urged the electoral agencies of member states to be fair and firm in the discharge of their duties to avoid thwarting the democratisation processes on the continent, which were normally disputed and throwing elections into disarray and civil wars. Togbega was optimistic that the novelty of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and New Partnership for Africans

Development (NEPAD) would facilitate the processes of a true African Union with one voice, destiny and united people.