Accra, April 23, GNA - The Senegalese Ambassador in Ghana, Mr. Balla Mandow Dia, has lauded Ghana's democratic credentials, particularly for conducting five successive elections. He said Ghana remained a pacesetter in several fronts in Africa and the continent looked up to her as a leading star in an oasis of strife. Mr Dia was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Mr Mike Hammah, Minister of Transport, in Accra on Wednesday.

He said Senegal was prepared to share experiences with Ghana in the area of rail transportation and other economic ventures and called for the re-establishment of the Ghana/Senegal joint Commission for Cooperation.

Mr Hammah said the Government was committed to strengthening the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and welcomed any moves towards getting the sub-region united economically, socially and culturally.

He said the time had come for West Africans to break the language barrier imposed on them by colonial masters and to retrace their steps to their original position of reality that Africans are one people with a common destiny.

Mr Hammah said for any meaningful socio-economic transformation, Africans must begin to look from within and improve on trade amongst themselves on all fronts.

He pledged to support efforts towards the re-establishment of the Ghana/Senegal Joint Commission for Cooperation as early as practicable.