President John Agyekum Kufuor yesterday asked African leaders to respect their people in order to gain their support. He was speaking during a courtesy call on him by the African Diplomatic Corps at the Castle, Osu in Accra.

The diplomats were at the Castle to congratulate the President on his election as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and also to commend him for his role in finding solutions to both the Ivorian and Liberian conflicts.

President Kufuor told them that it is only when leaders respect their people and “show them love that they would support us. If we continue to show divisive tendencies and hatred to each other, then humanity that must be central to the government would lose focus”, he said. He was optimistic that African would be lifted up from its present hard economic conditions with the support of all.

President Kufuor said destiny had put Africans together and called on the people on the continent to eschew anything that would divide their front as one people. He said it was unfortunate that the continent had been marginalized by the advanced countries for so long.

The blame, he said perhaps, should be put on Africans since at the crossroads”, we allowed agents of the advanced nations to take advantage of us”. He noted that though the continent was rich and endowed with many resources, it is now the poorest.

President Kufuor thanked the diplomats for their support and said though the challenges were difficult, everything possible would be done to lift the continent up from its current economic status.

Earlier, the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, Mr. Elwood Greaves of Liberia, assured the President of their support in his position as the Chairman of ECOWAS.

Mr.Greaves said the African Diplomatic Corps had followed with keen interest, efforts being made by President Kufuor to move the sub-regional body forward.

Source : The 19/06/03