President Kufuor receives key to Yamoussoukro

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Saturday called on Heads of States in the ECOWAS sub-region to use their leadership skills to utilise the abundant natural resources for the economic prosperity of their people.

"We should be mindful of the sub-region with a population of over 200 million people and the many natural resources that abound should be utilised for the economic prosperity of the people."

President Kufuor was speaking at a short, but impressive ceremony on the second day of his five-day official visit to Cote d'Ivoire when he received the key to the city of Yamoussoukro at the City Hall.

President Kufuor said "with good leadership skills we should be able to create much wealth, maintain law and order, peace and prosperity for the people in the sub-region."

"I hope Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire together could be the fulcrum on which the sub-region could develop", President Kufuor said, adding that the key, is symbolic to a city, built on vision spawn by a son of history.

He said the Late President Felix Houphoeut-Biogny represented something dear to his heart and motivated by his service to humanity and reconciliation.

He built a nation that encompassed diversity of ethnicity in African, Kufuor said of the late President Houphoeut-Biogny.

"The establishment of Yamoussoukro, which is the central point of Cote d'Ivoire was to be the administrative capital. In the process, a strong foundation for the economic development has been built," he added.

President Kufuor said no nation could pursue an effective development programme without a solid economic base, adding, "the Late Biogny established economic development to a certain proportion that has become a reality to mankind".

President Kufuor threw a challenge to his host, President Gbagbo, to restore the city to the peace and stability that characterised the long reign of President Houphoeut-Boigny.

Mr Gnrangbe Kouakou Kouadio Jean, Mayor of Yamoussoukro who presented the key to President Kufuor recalled the long standing bond of friendship between the two countries and said the presentation was symbolic, to make President Kufuor a citizen.

President Kufuor later signed the visitors' book.