Sekondi Feb.10 - GNA- The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) would enable countries that have acceded to it to identify their weaknesses, strength, challenges and opportunities and map out strategies to accelerate their development.

Nana Yamfoah Amua-Sekyi, Deputy Western Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) stated this when performing the Regional launching of APRM at Sekondi on Thursday.

The programme was under the theme, "APRM - Towards African Growth and Prosperity Through Good Governance" It was organised by the Governing Council of APRM and the Western Regional Secretariat of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).

Nana Amua-Sekyi said, "APRM is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to, by the countries forming the African Union (AU) as an African Self-monitoring mechanism."

She said under development of most African countries, including Ghana, bad leadership, wars, conflicts and poor political governance have necessitated the development of APRM under the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Nana Amua-Sekyi said the main objectives of APRM is to accelerate the progress of participating countries through the adoption and implementation of NEPAD priorities and programmes using the best practices, especially in the areas of governance and development. She said, "All APRM seeks to do is to foster the adoption of policies and standards that will lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration".

Mr Kwaku Baah Owusu, Regional Director of NCCE, who chaired the function, expressed concern about the level of participation of the people in the governance of the country.

He said many people actively participate in the governance of the country only during political campaigning and elections. Mr Owusu said governance is not theoretical but something practical that should be engaged in by everybody at all times.

He suggested the putting in place of measures to ensure sustainable participation of the people in the governance of the country as a way of promoting good governance under APRM. Feb. 10 05