African leaders urged to follow the vision of OAU founding fathers

African leaders have been urged to examine their actions and inactions to find out whether they conform to the vision of the founding fathers of the African Union (AU).

Mr. Philip Lutterodt, Financial Secretary to the District Oversight Committee who was addressing pupils of Bawjiase Islamic Basic School on AU, gave the advice saying, if the leaders did that, it would help them to provide good leadership which would give the people peace and better living conditions.

He expressed disappointment that after 49 years of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) from which the AU metamorphosed, coup d’états still lingered on in African countries.

“Poverty, hunger and wars are the better part of Africans”, he said.

Mr. Lutterodt, who is also the District Budget Analyst, urged the leaders to tap the numerous resources on the continent and use them to improve the living conditions of their people and stop going round to seek financial support from outsiders.

Mr. Desire Akakpoe, Secretary to the Oversight Committee urged African leaders to use AU concept to instill in Africans the spirit of patriotism and nationalism for them to appreciate and use things produced locally in their countries and stop relying on things produced in other continents.

Mr. Andrew Ofori-Larbi, District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education and a member of the Oversight Committee expressed concern about the adulteration of African culture and said if care was not taken, “we would soon lose our identity as Africans.”

He urged the pupils to stop regarding African products as inferior.**