Accra, June 7, GNA - The Eminent Persons undertaking the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) under the NEPAD Initiative have concluded deliberations on Ghana's Self Assessment Programme and Action Plan saying it has the potential of meeting the country's development goals. Briefing Dr Kofi Apraku, Minister of Regional Cooperation and New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), and members of the Ghana Governance Council on the APRM, Mr Chris Stals, Chairman of the Eminent Group, said the Self Assessment Programme was certain to catch the attention of the donor community in helping Ghana overcome poverty.

The Group is in the country to present their recommendations on the Ghana Self Assessment Report and the Programme of Action to government as well as stakeholders including civil society before it is brought before the Head of States meeting in Abuja, Nigeria on June 19.

He said the draft document concentrated on the shortcomings and weaknesses of ongoing programmes and projects and how they could be addressed to maximize the investment being pumped in to them.

Mr Stals said the Eminent Persons had done a thorough review of the information submitted to it and was hopeful that tomorrow's stakeholders' workshop would lead the way for other countries within the framework of the APRM, which is under the NEPAD Initiative to follow. Ghana and Rwanda are the only two countries out of the 23 that have signed onto the APRM Mechanism.

Dr Apraku said the Government had gone beyond rhetoric and worked at presenting itself for peer review and expressed the hope that it was a step at not only deepening democracy, but also the governance process itself.

He said the recommendations in the Plan of Action and Self Assessment Programme would be incorporated in the national budget and programmed for action.

He said the country would welcome any support from the donor community toward the 150 policies and projects in the Plan of Action.