Veep urges African leaders to 'advertise' their achievements

Abuja, Oct 2, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama has appealed to colleague African leaders to celebrate their achievements and successes for the outside world to recognize their efforts. "Africans have made a lot of progress after achieving independence, but because they are silent on their achievements other people have taken advantage to highlight only the negative sides of the continent." The Vice President who made this appeal, on Friday, at the sidelines of the Nigeria's Golden Jubilee Celebration at the Eagle Square in Abuja, said Africa had gone through political turbulence and was now settling to take her destiny into her own hands.

The celebration attracted 15 heads of State and 17 Representatives from other African countries, the African Union, Commonwealth, Arab States and member states of the European Union.

The programme, which was marked with colourful patrols, para-military, callisthenic display, combat march, equipment and air display, and pigeon releases also brought together all the living former heads of state of Nigeria at the parade.

Vice President Mahama mentioned some of the success stories of Africa as moving from colonialism to independence, from independence to military dictatorships and currently into democracies and called on African politicians to strictly adhere to the tenets of democracy in order to shorten the stories of their detractors.

He commended Nigerians for their 50th anniversary celebration and urged them to purge themselves of actions that could attract international negative media publications.

"A Golden Jubilee celebration is enough for a country like Nigeria to take stock of their past performances and find lasting solutions to some of their activities that have over the years received negative publications."

The Vice President said African countries could develop and wean themselves from foreign support only if they collaborated effectively to specialize in areas that they had comparative advantage. Mr. Emeka Wogu, Nigerian Minister of Labour and Productivity, who earlier received the Ghanaian delegation at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja, said Ghana was a shinny example in the West African sub-region.

He said other African countries see Ghana as a new model of democracy inspiring them to uphold the tenets of democracy, good governance and the rule of law adding that, 'we have a lot to learn from Ghana, and I am particularly happy that Ghana is always ready to lend support to other growing democratic states.

The celebration which was disrupted by intermittent rains later turned bloody when a bomb exploded killing eight people on the spot and injuring 18 others.

President Good luck Jonathan later described the bomb blast as 'the worst anniversary gifts the perpetrators could ever present to Nigeria.'

02 Oct.10