Seven- Member Panel appointed to supervise APRM implementation

Accra, Feb. 3. GNA - Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD, on Tuesday said a seven-member panel of eminent persons had been appointed to supervise the implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process.

The seven members, who were appointed by the Heads of States of APRM had Ms Marie-Angelique Savane of Senegal as its Chairperson. The rest are Professor Adebayo-Adedeji from Nigeria, Professor B. Kiplagat from Kenya, Dr Grace Machel from Mozambique, Mr. C. Stals from South Africa, Ms. Dorothy Njeuma from Cameroon and Mr M Medelci from Algeria.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Ministry of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD and signed by Ahmed Osumanu Halid, the Media Relation Officer.

Dr Apraku said the Cabinet had approved the creation of autonomous national structures that would prepare Ghana for the APRM and facilitate the work of the Independent Panel of Eminent Persons (IPEP), adding: "Emphasis has been put on the autonomous and independence of these structures in order to ensure integrity, impartiality, transparency, objectivity and professionalism."

Dr Lanto Harding, Acting Director of Policy Coordination and Implementation of Ministry of Regional Co-operation and NEPAD, stressed that the APRM concept was a positive one since it showed the commitment of a country to the NEPAD initiative.

He said the primary purpose of the APRM was to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that would lead to political stability, high economic growth rate, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration, through sharing of experiences and reinforcement of successful best practices.

Dr Harding expressed the hope that a number of countries would allow themselves to be reviewed.

Dr Francis Appiah, the Technical Advisor on NEPAD, called for support for NEPAD "since it is a potential concept that would help solve the problems the continent is facing".