[ 2012-06-10 ]

Lawyer Advice - Independence
Sunyani (B/A), June 9, GNA - Mr. Sylvester Kwadwo
Ankama, a legal practitioner and founder of
National Unity Movement (NUM), has expressed
regret that African countries have not been able
to give meaning to their political independence.

He said: “If Africa is to get rid of the massive
poverty among her people, there is the need for
unity and the people applying their expertise,
skills and experience to advance her
development.”

A press statement signed by Mr Ankama, copied to
the Ghana News Agency, said that African and most
countries in the third world were in a state of
fluidity, resulting in violent upheavals, disunity
and increasing foreign influence.

He said that in the past 50 years, African
countries had been struggling to adopt western
democracy through partisan politics, but this had
unfortunately resulted in misunderstandings,
violence and dangerous polarization.

Mr Ankama saidL “We must give our heartfelt thanks
to God that the unity of Africa is on good
grounds, leading towards the realization of its
main goal.”

He questioned the relevance of the constitution of
the African Union (AU) as Western democracy was
posing serious problems for the continent.

Mr. Ankama noted that the erstwhile Organization
of African Unity (OAU) in 1998 adopted the
Ouagadougou Declaration that sought to eliminate
partisan politics to open the avenue for an
inclusive system.

He expressed regret that the OAU failed to live up
to its ideals, and called on the AU to make the
declaration work.

Mr Ankama called for an African model constitution
to reflect the culture, socio-economic, philosophy
and psychology of the African.

He said: “Africa must evolve her own brand of
democracy to eliminate the dangerous political
polarization of Africa.”

Source - GNA

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