Accra, July 17, GNA - Ghana would from next week begin a nationwide launch of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Initiative at regional levels as part of efforts to make the people aware of the document.

The launchings, which would be in phases, begin on July 21, in Tamale, followed on July 22 at Bolgatanga and July 24 in Wa, under the first phase.

The launching would be followed by a vigorous and sustained sensitisation programmes to bring NEPAD to the doorsteps of the people and create a sense of ownership.

Also to be launched is a brochure titled: "Visions of A Better Tomorrow," which provides information on the NEPAD initiative as well as on the Africa Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for the citizenry.

Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Regional Integration and NEPAD, made this known on Thursday when he briefed Journalists on Ghana's plans and strategies to make the initiative a reality on the continent.

The Minister expressed satisfaction with the commitment of African governments on the new initiative especially in the ECOWAS Sub-Region and announced that currently a donor support of 3.1 million dollars had been approved for feasibility studies on NEPAD in the Region.

He disagreed that because NEPAD would be depending on donor support, it would in no way be different from the many initiatives, protocols and conventions that had failed on the continent because of interferences from the international community.

Dr Apraku said African governments had come far and have been awakened to a new Africa and if African governments could succeed in getting their own people to understand the document, the resources would come from Africa.

"NEPAD is a partnership base on mutual respect, but the driving force is dependent on Africa, and we have to make the choice," he stressed. Dr Apraku said NEPAD as a vision and a framework for socio-economic development could not be confined to the corridors of government alone. He said this was why the founding fathers did not hesitate to emphasis that "the new partnership would be successful only if it was owned by the African people united in their diversity."

The Minister said by emphasizing good governance and inviting all stakeholders to be part of the sensitisation, Ghana would be preparing itself for scrutiny under the African Peer Review Mechanism, which Ghana had acceded to.