Ghanaian envoy bids farewell

OUTGOING Ghana ambassador Mr Sylvanus Tetteh Tamaklo yesterday called for African Union member states to strengthen their relationship through economic integration.

He said this after paying a courtesy call on Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare.

Ambassador Tamaklo had gone to bid farewell to Acting President Mnangagwa after spending two and half years in Zimbabwe.

The ambassador was recalled following the election of a new president, Mr Nana Akufo Ado, who defeated Mr John Dramani Mahama in the recent elections.

“I think the AU is poised with the new people on board to make giant strides. I believe the AU has come of age and those at the helm of affairs are very capable of leading and I think they will take us into another stage.

“The AU has not achieved real integration as a continent. Kwame Nkrumah said the independence of Ghana is meaningless until it is linked to the total revolution of Africa.

“We need economic integration. In the past and at this is the point when we have stable governments and democracy. At this point what else do you do?” he said. He said Ghana and Zimbabwe had been friends for so long and it was important for the two countries to strengthen economies.

Ambassador Tamaklo said it was important that Zimbabwe and Ghana move beyond friendship and engage in economic activities that benefited the two parties.

“We have been friends for so long and what should be the lesson? We should make sure we put the food on the table. We should go beyond friendship economically. Let’s depend upon each other; that is the way,” he said. He said he enjoyed his stay in Zimbabwe because of the peaceful environment and friendly people.

“I lived in Zimbabwe with a lot of good feelings. I know Zimbabwe is on the threshold of getting back economically.

“I want to encourage Zimbabwe to maintain its lead in literacy. Zimbabwe has the highest literacy rate in Africa and I would like to encourage Zimbabwe to maintain that lead. Literacy is vital; it is one of the factors of production and shows that Zimbabwe has capacity. Zimbabwe should continue in a peaceful manner and still lead in literacy in Africa,” he said.

Zimbabwe and Ghana have strong bilateral relations dating back to the 1960s.