President Mills thanks African leaders

From: Benjamin Mensah, GNA Special Correspondent, Kampala, Uganda

Kampala, July 26, GNA - President John Atta Mills on Monday thanked the African Union Commission for the intellectual, moral and material support, towards the successful commemoration of the centenary birthday celebration of Ghana's First President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.


He said African leaders gave touching and overwhelming response to an invitation to join in the celebration during his maiden participation in the meeting in Sirte, Libya, last year.


"I was particularly encouraged by the spontaneous support of my colleagues and the collective adoption of the AU/Declaration which "called on all Member States to celebrate on September 21, 2009, the 100th Birthday of President Kwame Nkrumah," President Mills said at 15th African Heads of States summit in Kampala.


President Mills thanked his colleagues for the honour done to Ghana and briefed them on the celebrations that was attended by the Deputy Chairperson of AU Commission, Mr Erastus Mwencha and Commissioner for Social Affairs, Advocate Bienca Gawanas.


He said Ghana was grateful to them and President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal as well as Former Zambian President, Kenneth Kaunda, for personally participating in the celebration.


The activities included Africa Day Celebration, an event which dominated the AU Week, a colloquium on the contemporary relevance of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, a Youth Summit as well as the re-launch of the African Cultural Renaissance.

President Mills said the intellectual forum was a tribute to Nkrumah's status as a man of culture, intellect and ideas, it brought together Pan-Africanists from both the Continent and the Diaspora.


"The end-result is a rich collection of ideas which we must reflect on soberly," President Mills said.


He announced that a report on the celebrations when finalised would be made available to the African Leaders.


In addition, President Mills expressed Ghana's appreciation to the leaders and Africans for the love and support shown to Ghana's Black Stars during the recent 2010 World Cup Tournament.


The Heads of State commended Ghana's Black Stars for its sterling performance and South Africa for successfully hosting the tournament.


President Mills condemned the dastardly act of terrorism that claimed the lives of about 76 Ugandans and expressed condolence to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, families of the deceased and the nation on the loss.