Accra, May 25, GNA - Togbe Ehlah, Deputy Director, National Commission on Culture, in-charge of Arts, on Wednesday called on Africans to unite in order to pull resources to fight ignorance, disease and hunger afflicting the continent.

He said it was important for Africans to realise that the continent could only be free if the negative forces that led to conflicts were eliminated. Togbe Ehlah made the call at a cultural festival organised by the National Theatre of Ghana, to mark the African Union Day. The Day marks the liberation of African countries from colonial domination and to honour African leaders who led the liberation struggle.

Some of the group, which performed at the festival, included a Great Lamptey Mills School Choir, Madina Youth Choir, Dance Afrique Ensemble, the Indigen Afrika Troupe as well as Nkasei, a renowned Ghanaian Music artiste.

Nana Akrasi-Sarpong, Marketing and Public Relations Manager of the Theatre called on African leaders to develop youth centred programmes to prepare the youth for future leadership roles. He attributed the current ethnic conflicts that had resulted in civil wars in most African countries to the total breakdown of African culture and tradition.

"African culture has suffered serious breakdown, therefore it is very important that we revive and uphold our culture to attract the youth and instil in them its good values," he said. Nana Sarpong urged African leaders to unite to ensure that the vision of the AU was achieved.