Ghana Deposits Union Ratification Instrument

Ghana on Monday deposited its instrument of ratification of the constitutive act of the African Union, becoming the 37th OAU member state to do so.

The act enters into force Saturday, 30 days after Nigeria deposited its own documents with the OAU secretary general Salim Ahmed Salim on 26 April in Abuja.

Two thirds of the 53 OAU member states were required to deposit these documents for the act to enter into force.

Ghana's instrument of ratification was deposited with OAU assistant secretary general responsible for policy and programme co-ordination department, Mahamat Habib Doutoum.

Speaking during the occasion, the Ghanaian Charge d'affaires in Addis Ababa, Kwame Asamoah Tenkorang stated that as founding member of the continental organisation, his country could not but embark "on this quest of Africa for great unity and solidarity."

He recalled his country's commitment to the ideal of African Unity since Kwame Nkrumah "made it possible today for Ghana to surrender part of its sovereignty in the pursuit of continental unity."

On his part, Doutoum said that Ghana's deposition of the ratification instrument was another testimony of its commitment to the ultimate objective of the continental organisation.

"Ghana had always played a critical role in the affairs of our continent," an OAU statement quoted him as saying.