MP suggests ways of achieving united Africa

Page 15, May 29, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Weija, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has called for a clear road map for the achievement of a United States of Africa.
“The time has come for some concrete action to be taken for us to move from the rhetorics, summit after summit. A clear road map to achieve this laudable goal is needed”, she stated.
Ms Botchwey, however, called for the involvement of the people in such a decision, through national debates throughout member states of the African Union (AU).
The MP gave these suggestions in a statement on the floor of Parliament to commemorate the AU Day which fell on May 25 and the ECOWAS Day, which fell yesterday.
She noted that the theme chosen for the celebration of this year’s AU Day, “Towards a United, Peaceful and Prosperous Africa” was very appropriate.
Ms Botchwey explained that peace and security had eluded the continent with Africa being viewed as a place of poverty, war and disease while there was the resurgence of cross border conflicts and coup d’etats in countries such as Guinea and Mauritania.
The MP added that although Africa had great potential, until its people came to the realisation that their prosperity laid in their own hands, “we will go nowhere”.
Ms Botchwey stated that the present global crisis presented Africa with a golden opportunity, adding that rather than mourning how the situation had affected the continent negatively and how foreign exchange had dwindled, African must look at ways to take advantage of it.
She said the debate on the United States of Africa had remained a prominent agenda of the AU with several consultations, concluding that the ultimate goal of full political and economic integration leading to the unity was not in doubt.
Ms Botchwey added that, the unity, must however, be a union of African people and not just governments and should, therefore be gradual.
The MP stated that while some people believed that Africa would find its strength in unity, the feeling by others was that the continent was too divided along ethnic, religious, race and language lines for it to achieve that dream overnight.
“As citizens, we all have a stake to ensure Africa’s development by strengthening it against the daunting challenges. It is only with one strong voice that we have the bargaining power we so desire to take our proper place in the world arena”, she said.
On ECOWAS, the MP stated that Ghana’s theme sought to highlight the free movement of persons, goods and services within the sub-region.
Ms Botchwey said it was clear that the success of ECOWAS and all other regional economic bodies depended on free movement, noting that “that no doubt will put us on the right path to achieving a united, peaceful and prosperous Africa”.