Ghanaian leader hails Senegalese counterpart for visit

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana has hailed the official visit of the President of Senegal, Bassirou Dio­maye Faye, to Ghana on Friday which is part of his “friendship and working” tour of the bigwig nations in West Africa, including Nigeria and La Cote d’Ivoire.
Receiving President Faye at the Jubilee House in Accra, President Akufo-Addo said that the visit was not only historic, but also refreshing for the bond of friendship that had existed between the two coun¬tries over the years.
He stated that the election of President Faye was a source of reassurance for all who are interested in the democratic future of Ghana.
President Akufo-Addo observed that “at one time, Senegal’s repu¬tation as a country committed to the principles of democrat¬ic accountability, respect for human rights law was being jeopardised. But fortunately good sense prevailed.”
He noted that though the visit was a brief one, it was a very important one, stressing that “As you’re aware I went for his inauguration because of the history between our two countries and also be¬cause his election was a source of reassurance to those of us who believe in the democratic future of our region and con¬tinent.”
The report by the Ghanaian Times on Monday quoted President Akufo-Addo as saying that the manner in which President Faye ascended to the presidency has brought peace and unity to his country and that “Senegal is going to play a very important role in the development of the ECOWAS community.”
“We are lucky in having a new leader in Senegal and he is going to help us to try and resolve the big problem that we have in the ECOWAS commu¬nity, and that is the purported departure of three of the key figures, key nations…that is Niger Burkina Faso and Mali,” he said.
The Ghanaian President expressed optimism in the fact that President Faye was very much committed to what could be done to revive the dialogue that would enable ECOWAS extend a hand of brotherhood and friendship to those mem¬bers who had exited.
“It is historically a very important set of measures to be taken to let it happen,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo said the election of President Faye has rekindled hope for the youth, especially in Ghana and all of them now want to be president.
Responding, President Faye, who was accompanied by his ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs and Security among a host of high profile Senegalese, commended President Akufo-Addo’s Pan African credentials and pledged to seek counsel on his ideals to¬wards the desired levels of African integration.
President Faye called for the establishment of a Joint Commission between the two countries to facilitate economic, trade and diplomatic ties to facilitate the interactions between officials of the two countries and accelerate the implementation.
On the resignation of the three member countries of ECOWAS, the Senegalese President said that this was the time ECOWAS needed to be stronger and that was why he had pledged his commitment to ensure that they did not leave, adding that “I will be by your side and depend on your wisdom and Pan African ideas and other leaders towards the strengthening of ECOWAS”.
He indicated that he was aware of the heavy responsibility placed on their shoulders as leaders of countries that formed ECOWAS and the need to hand over a stronger and better regional body to the next generation.
President Faye said they would work in tandem and assiduously to strengthen ECOWAS, improve its governance and provide the means and resources that had been affecting the member countries.
GIK/APA