Education is key to helping Africa take dignified position-Kufuor

From Kwaku Osei Bonsu, GNA Special Correspondent, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Port-of-Spain, Aug. 1, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor has asked Africans to build self-confidence through education to assume more dignified place in society.

The frontier the black race has to cross now, he noted, was not physical but about how to liberate themselves from psychological and mental slavery and the key to achieving this was education. President Kufuor was delivering a message at this year's Emancipation Day celebration at the Brian Lara Pomenade, a square in Port-of-Spain, capital city of the Caribbean archipelagic state of Trinidad and Tobago, where the declaration of emancipation was made 170 years ago.

This was just before the start of the joyous street parade and cultural village to usher in the celebrations. Dancing to the sound of African drums and chants, the participants, dressed in traditional garb paraded the streets in a colourful spectacle.

The event is held annually on August 1, to mark the end of slavery.

President Kufuor, who was specially invited to join in the celebration, said given the critical role of education in Africa's quest to liberate the minds of the people and provide equal opportunity for all, Ghana has introduced universal free basic education. He said he was happy to hear that Trinidad and Tobago was in the process of doing a similar thing.

President Kufuor expressed optimism about Africa's future, saying, power, be it economic or political was shifting around the globe. Africa was waking up to take its rightful place in the world and added "Africa truly counts".

Meanwhile, President Kufuor has held bilateral talks with Professor George Maxwell Richards, the President Trinidad and Tobago, to renew their resolve for closer economic co-operation between the two nations.

Energy, agriculture, education, tourism and bauxite mining dominated the discussions.

The two leaders re-affirmed their commitment to co-operate in the sectors of education, agriculture and tourism.

Mr Khafra Kambon, Chairman of the Emancipation Support Committee, said the heroic struggle of the ancestors should inspire Africans to fight to restore the dignity of the black race.

Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to President Kufuor, said the Caribbean state, which has been in the oil and gas production industry for more than 100 years, pledged to share its enormous experience with Ghana. 1 Aug. 08