Committee to organise next year's "African Renaissance" celebrations

inaugurated

Accra, Feb. 24, GNA - PanAfrica Ghana, made up of a group of Panafricanists, was on Tuesday inaugurated to organise next year's celebration of "Africa Renaissance" in Accra.


King Akande Olofindji II, President of PANAFRICA, who inaugurated the eight-member committee, charged it to work hard to revive PanAfricanism in Ghana.


He said: "Pan Africanism is a deliberate effort and action to activate, raise and keep the consciousness of Black People world-wide to free themselves from all forms of mental and physical slavery or suppression.


Among the activities planned for the celebration are an African Citizens Forum in Accra; African Renaissance Music Festival; African Renaissance Football Match; Accreditation of African Renaissance Embassy in Accra and Meeting of African Kings and Queens in Accra.


Other activities are the Creation of African Renaissance clubs in second cycle schools, universities, tertiary institutions and places of worship; and a conference of the African Common Market in Accra and a launching of the Farewell To Slavery Carnival From Ghana. King Olofindji said the programme was handed to Pan-Africa, Ghana, because of the role Ghana played as the capital of the "African Renaissance".

Otunba Dele Ajayi-Smith, President of the Nigeria-based African Citizens Development Foundation (ACDF), announced the conception of African Citizens Forum to be used as a platform for exhaustive deliberations and collation of opinions, suggestions and strategies agreed upon by African citizens.


He said concepts generated would be pushed through African Parliaments for action and implementation, and announced that the first "outing" of the African Citizens Forum was scheduled for Lagos, Nigeria between May 25 and 27, 2004.


Otunba Ajayi-Smith said the people of Africa through bad governance, which was worsened by wars, diseases, injustice and corruption, " have all led to crippling poverty". He said President John Agyekum Kufuor was now nurturing with diligence and skill the norms and disciplined governance that Ghana's First President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and others planted.


Otunba Ajayi-Smith described corruption as a "monstrous disease", which thrived in an atmosphere of indiscipline, saying that to check indiscipline the ACDF was recommending the establishment of an independent National Discipline Commission, involving all citizens on whose collective endorsement the Commission shall derive its authority and legitimacy.


Mr William Hrisir-Quaye, is the Chairman of the Committee, Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, the President and Mr Edward Quao, the Vice President. The others are Mr Leeford Quarshie General Secretary, Beatrice Kafui Aggrah-Appah, Deputy General Secretary, Diana Akiwumi Botchway General Treasurer, Emmanuel Kodjo Awanu, Deputy Treasurer and Kwadwo Adjei Barwuah, Programme Manager. 24 Feb. 04