President John Dramani Mahama has said he will use his position as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to tackle the major challenges the member countries are facing.
President Mahama said this during his annual new year get-together with members of the Diplomatic Corps at the Peduase Presidential lodge in the Eastern Region.
[contextly_sidebar id=”I5jAU1eSOTNq7nYS7EY5IUykivu0nH6h”]The programme was also attended by Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, Diplomats as well as some Politicians.
President Mahama said the time has come for African leaders to take their own destinies into their hands by spear- heading their development agenda before calling for external support.
The cooperation, he said was demonstrated during the mobilisation of resources against the deadly Ebola virus disease in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, as well as flashes of the disease in Mali and Nigeria.
President Mahama said the continent could do better to champion the rights and responsibilities of their people.
He said currently, Egypt, Mali, Somalia, Burkina Faso and Guinea are experiencing some political skirmishes and such cooperation could quell the crises in such areas and beyond.
President Mahama said he would use his position to consolidate the good relations that exist between Ghana and her immediate neighbours; Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Togo among others.
He said five countries; Nigeria, Niger, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Togo are holding their general elections this year and called on the political leaders in those countries to exhibit high level professionalism to avoid rancour and bitterness after the polls.
Madam Pavilin Tendai Musoka, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana commended President Mahama for assuming the Chairmanship of ECOWAS and his contribution during the outbreak of the Ebola Virus disease in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
She called on African leaders to build stronger capacities that would contain the outbreak of any disease in the continent.
Meanwhile the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana has pledged its support for Ghana’s bailout negotiation with the International Monetary fund (IMF).
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Source: GNA