British Prime Minister Announces Aid Package for Ghana

British Prime Minister Tony Blairon Friday announced a 60-million pound package for Ghana, saying that the time has come for Africa to be seen as a continent worthyof support and encouragement, Ghana News Agency reported.

When addressing Ghana's Parliament, Blair said that "Afghanistan was neglected and forgotten and then it reeled under drugs and terrorism, rocking the peace of the most secured democracy in the world. Africa should not stand alone."

He arrived in the Ghanaian capital of Accra from Nigeria on Thursday night on the second of a four-nation Africa tour that will also take him to Sierra Leone and Senegal.

Blair deplored internal trade restrictions of developed countries that keep the third world products from their markets.

"Developed countries should practice what they preach,'' he said.

He called for a new partnership in the administration of aid between the developed and developing countries.

"Although there are skepticism in the Western World that aid goto feed the elite and not the suffering members of community, it has been proven that aid has lifted many people from poverty on the continent," he said.

Blair said the new aid concept should create independence and not dependence, it should be seen as the sharing of global resources