NUM founder regrets Africa's inability to give meaning to independence

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 said “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.”**