Parliament applauds Kofi Annan

Parliament on Tuesday applauded Mr Kofi Annan, Ghanaian born United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, for jointly winning the Noble Peace Prize with the UN.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah, the Majority Leader said in recognition of the achievement the government was considering naming the Accra International Conference Centre after Mr Kofi Annan.

He said little could Ghanaians think that Mr Kofi Annan in discharge of his duties and the fight for international peace could rise to the occasion to receive the highest international award.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah was contributing to a statement Mr Kofi Poku-Adusei made in the House on the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan for winning the Noble Peace Award.

The award winning ceremony took place in Oslo, Norway on Monday December 10.

Mr Poku-Adusei, NPP-Bekwai, told the House, "we need to appreciate Kofi Annan, and we need to appreciate the image his name has created for this country in particular and Africa as a whole".

He said: "It is in order that our President, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor was in Oslo, Norway to give this illustrious son of Ghana and Africa the maximum moral support".

Mr Poku-Adusei said the winning of the award was dramatic, as Mr Kofi Annan "has tried to manage the world at the time that the so-called global village was chaotic and gloomy".

He said Mr Annan had worked as a successful Secretary General of the UN, which alone was an enviable achievement, and more so he had devoted and still devotes his entire life to the organisation for the promotion of world peace.

"We must not only simply congratulate Kofi Annan, but we must, as a nation applaud him for adding Ghana's name to the illustrious winners of the renowned award."

Mr Alex Korankye, NPP-Asante Akim South, said a befitting monument should be erected in honour of Mr Annan depicting him as a role model for Africa.

Mr M. A. Seidu, NDC-Wa Central, said a public holiday should be instituted in the name of Mr Annan during which the youth would through poems, lectures, drama and other activities immortalise this "Great Son of Africa".