Pan-African Council (PAC), on the auspicious occasion of the observance of African Liberation (AU) Day (ALD) on 25th May, which is a national holiday in all AU Member States, has called on all African Heads of State to redouble their go-and-then-stop efforts at achieving total political unification in order to attain economic emancipation.

In a statement issued yesterday and signed by PAC, the group said it “urgently implores the African Heads of State to show greater commitment and be passionate towards the political unity and economic independence of the peoples of Africa as championed by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and other true leading lights in the struggle to liberate and unify Africa since the start of colonialism.”

The socio-economic crises and hardships which are currently plaguing the peoples of Africa result from lack of a uniformed, effective political structure – a necessary condition for economic emancipation.

The PAC believes that a United Africa will help harness the vast natural and human resources of Africa in order to resolve the numerous political and social conflicts currently besetting the countries and peoples of the continent.

The current and recent spate of insecurity and instability wrecked by the wave of terrorists activities in Nigeria, Libya, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, and the conflicts in DR Congo, Burundi, South Sudan and Sahrawi Arab Peoples Republic, for instance, is a clear product of the absence of a Unified Continental Government which, when instituted and firmly institutionalised, will galvanise the security forces under a Central High Command to fight the terrorists whose abhorrent actions cause untold destruction and death.

In the first place, the functional existence of the High Command would definitely pre-empt and prevent wars and terror-attacks in Africa.

The PAC, therefore, urges the African leaders to implement radical measures that will lead to the attainment of the political, economic and socio-cultural goals of Pan-Africanism as envisaged and fought for by our past great leaders.

Despite the visa-on-arrival policy being implemented by some African countries, the PAC demands an absolute waiver on visas for all Africans in the continent and the Diaspora.

The PAC will mark ALD on this Wednesday, 24th May with a public forum organised by the Pan-Africa Club in Accra Girls Senior High School at Maamobi, opposite PWAW House.

The ALD was founded in 1958 by Osagyefo Dr Nkrumah on the occasion of the First Conference of Independent African States held in Accra which was attended by eight Heads of States.

Thus, 15th April was declared ALD to mark the progress of the liberation movement and to symbolise the determination of Africans to free themselves from the domination, subjugation and exploitation foisted by colonialism, imperialism and neo-colonialism.