Kumasi, May 26, GNA - An ardent adherent of the Nkrumaist ideology and vision has condemned African leaders for being hypocritical towards the African Union (AU) concept.

Mr. Samuel K. Danso said most leaders on the surface seemed to concur to the tenets, upon which the AU concept was built politically, economically, culturally and socially, but their attitude in general suggest otherwise.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, he said even though the AU was instituted to create a platform for Africans to speak with one voice in all fields of endeavour to foster unity, most leaders were noted for gross human rights abuse, dictatorship, corruption, arrogance, disrespect for rule of law and freedom of speech as well as discrimination.

"How can Africa achieve its aim of unity when there are reported cases of mass ethnicity, tribalism and nepotism in countries such as Zimbabwe, Kenya, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, among others?" Mr. Danso appealed to stake holders on the continent to brainstorm and redesign the AU concept on the ideologies of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. He said a critical look must be taken at the vision of Dr Nkrumah in the areas of trade, investments, education, health, infrastructural development, agriculture and science and technology. "It is high time Africans took their own destiny in their hands and forfeited their sovereignty and selfish interest as well as their language and cultural differences in the interest of total unity on the continent". Mr. Danso said this was necessary to help ensure a true United Africa where leaders could boldly speak against malpractices by their fellow African leaders whilst advancing the cause of the continent on the international scene for the eradication of poverty, hunger, civil war, diseases and over-dependence on foreign donors and technologies for survival. 26 May 09