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Ghana receives full marks from ECOWAS for peaceful
elections
From Kwaku Osei Bonsu, GNA Special Correspondent, Abuja,
Nigeria
Abuja, Dec. 19, Ghanadot/GNA - Ghana on Friday received full
marks from the West African Sub-Regional body, Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS), for ensuring
peaceful, fair and transparent polls on December 7.
Leaders attending the 35th ordinary session of the Authority
of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS, in the Nigerian
capital, Abuja, hailed the conduct of the elections as
"highly commendable and deserving emulation."
Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua said Ghana has shown
that democracy was taking firm root in the sub-region, once
plagued by military interventions.
He noted that democratic consolidation backed by aggressive
push towards the elimination of corruption were the surest
means to bring improvement to the lives of the peoples in
West Africa.
Jean Ping, Chairman of the African Union (AU) Commission,
said he was confident that Ghana's December 28 Presidential
run-off, was going to be credible, free and fair.
President John Agyekum Kufuor, who twice served as Chairman
of the ECOWAS, in 2003 and 2004, joined his colleague
leaders at the summit to bid them farewell.
He is ending his two four-year term of office as President
of Ghana, on January 7, 2009.
Key issues on the agenda of the summit included the election
of a new Chairman of the Authority and the discussion of
ways to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in
dealing with illicit drug trafficking that was fast becoming
a major threat to democracy and security in countries in the
sub-region.
Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, President of the ECOWAS Commission,
told President Kufuor that “As you leave office, we do not
forget the services you rendered to Africa as Chairman of
the AU, and to our region as Chairman of ECOWAS for two
years."
He said in both capacities, President Kufuor worked
tirelessly to bring peace to conflict-torn countries, for
the Union Government of Africa and to push forward the
ECOWAS integration process.
Dr Chambas said President Kufuor should "hold his head high"
for his stewardship of the affairs of Ghana in the last
eight years, staying the course of political and economic
reforms that has helped Ghana to emerge as a model in many
respects on the African continent.
The recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections,
conducted in a peaceful and competitive atmosphere was a
further testimony to President Kufuor's democratic
credentials, he said.
Dr Chambas observed that the continued stability and turn
around of the socio-economic fortunes of countries in the
sub-region depended on the consolidation of peace,
democracy, respect for rule of law and due process, which
were gradually taking hold in the region.
President Kufuor thanked his colleagues for the moral
support they gave to Ghana to conduct successful elections
on December 7 and said he hoped they would continue to stand
with the country during the presidential run-off.
He drew attention to the current unacceptable high levels of
small arms and light weapons circulating in the region, the
drug menace and human trafficking, which he said, had
conspired to pose major security threat to the region and
called for firm action.
President Kufuor said he was optimistic about the future of
the sub-region, saying from whatever angle one looked at it,
the region was moving forward while effectively responding
to challenges of change coming from within and outside.
GNA
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