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Last Updated: Jul 6, 2007 - 3:04:37 PM |
The idea
of establishing a pan-African government was the brain child of Ghana's first
President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1957. But today the Libyan leader, Muammar
al-Qaddafi has turned himself into a campaigner of the issue.
Among the skeptics of such a government include Yoweri Museveni, Ugandan
President who preferred "economic integration" to a single government
because "Africa is too diverse for one government."
He said, "politically we should only integrate with people who are either
similar or compatible with us."
For some leaders, the problem is not a unity government but that its
establishment is too prompt, especially in the face of so many problems African
countries are reeling with.
Most of the leaders from east and southern Africa, including Kenya and Lesotho
were overwhelm with doubt over the possibility of having such a government now.
Lesotho's Prime Minister, Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisil, said though the economic
and political integration would serve Africa's interests, but that "we
must adopt a bottom-up approach and not a top-down one.
"We believe that such integration should be gradual rather than
precipitous," he concurred.
Nigeria's leader, Umaru Yar’Adua is among the group of leaders who opt for a
slower approach to the formation of a union government.
It is believed that most African leaders will subscribe to the strengthening of
the continent's regional groupings instead of losing their individual
sovereignty.
But Senegal, one of the continent's leading democracies, has expressed the
urgency of forming a unique government. Senegal is championing the move for a
few countries to sign a federation right now so that others could follow suit.
Cheikh Tidiane Gadio, Senegal's Foreign Minister, said his country is ready to
"partially or totally abandon its sovereignty to become part and parcel of
a pan-African government." He said President Abdoulaye Wade had been
waiting to sign for a unity government without hesitation.
President Robert Mugabe, who received tumultous welcome from Ghanaians, mainly
because of his radical approach towards the west, is also a key supporter of a
unity government; describing it as vital to Africa's true independence from the
western powers.
Most analysts see unity as the only strategy that will empower African to face
the competition in the global economy.
The Accra summit is the 9th since the creation of the African Union five years
back. The project for the establishment of a unity government in Africa was
launched in Lome, Togo, during a summit in 2000.
In another summit in Abuja, Nigeria in 2005, African leaders endorsed the
establishment of a technical committee to kick-start the feasibility studies of
the unity government.
Led by the Ugandan leader, the committee presented its report to the Libya
summit this same year. It trumpeted the urgency of having a unity government.
This was endorsed by African leaders who tasked the outgoing Nigerian
President, Olusegun Obasanjo, of leading another committee on the same issue.
Mr Obasanjo submitted a report before his colleagues during the last AU summit
held in Banjul, The Gambia last year. He called for a unity government,
describing it as the ultimate goal of the continent.
Activists trumpeting for a unity government heap blame on African leaders for
failing to relinquish their individual interests for the betternment of the
masses who continue to be bitten by povety, disease, hunger, among other
plaques.
Source:Ocnus.net 2007
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