Ghana to celebrate AU Day

Accra, May 21, GNA - This year's African Union day will be celebrated in Ghana under the theme; "Towards a United, Peaceful and Prosperous Africa" over a one-week period from May 22-28. The African Day celebration will subsume this year's ECOWAS Day which falls on May 28, 2009.

A statement signed by Mr D.A.Y. Sampong, Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Information, said the celebration was at a time when the leadership of the Continent was faced with challenges on burning issues such as a Union Government and the re-emergence of the debate of the two traditional schools of thought - the fast track and gradualist approaches.

Also critical are challenges of peace and democratic consolidation, it noted.

The theme for the ECOWAS Celebration in Ghana is: "Eliminating Obstacles for Free Movement, While Fighting Cross-Border Crime". The statement said the theme was aimed at addressing the hottest issues in the Sub-Region, which border on the elimination of obstacles to free movement of goods and persons, as well as the consolidation of cross-border security.

The Institute for Democratic Governance would organise a roundtable on: "From AU Commission to AU Authority: Are We Moving Closer to the United States of Africa"? The outcome of Afro-Barometer studies by Centre for Democratic Development (CDD)-Ghana would be released at Golden Tulip Hotel on Friday. The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice Sanitisation Mission would hold a sensitisation programme from June 2-5 2009 to keep Ghanaians abreast of the functions of the court and how they could make use of it. 21 May 09