Democrat Union of Africa

YOUR Exceliency, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Honourable Ministers of State, Honourable members of Parliament, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, invited guests from abroad you are most welcome to this event.

I wish especially to extend a warm welcome to our colleagues from the Conservative Party of Britain. Indeed, it was at the meeting organised by the Conservative Party, under its Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) program for DUA/IDU members during their Spring Forum which gave the NPP the mandate to organise this conference.

I believe that this conference signifies an important chapter in the journey for centre of right democratic parties in Africa. It demonstrates our conviction that, democracy is a vehicle by which we can achieve the much needed political and economic growth to position Africa as a beacon in the global environment.

This conference seeks to build institutional capacities of the various centre of right political parties attending. It also seeks to promote good governance, good democracy and sound market economies based on vision and perseverance. We are further seeking to enhance freedom and expand the frontiers of freedom in our various countries.

Africa's past political history of one party dictatorships and military adventurism, witnessed States' ownership of economic resources.

This was characterised by the destruction, hindering and crippling of the private sector and left most of Africa's economies in a beleaguered state.

Since gaining power in 2000, the NPP Government's action has been driven by the Party's working philosophy: 'Development in Freedom'.

Our principle of less state intervention encourages the central government to play a limited role and allows the citizenry to unleash the productive energies of private enterprise, to support national development.

The NPP Government of Ghana is therefore vigorously pursuing development policies that emphasises the private sector as the engine of growth. Through these development policies, Ghana hopes to reach the middle income status within the next decade.

This Conference brings us here to exchange ideas and share differences for the upliftment of multiparty democracy in Africa. It will also serve as a spring board for inter-party cooperation among centre of right parties in Africa.

It is obvious, that African political parties have a number of peculiar problems such as: ethnicity, lack of internal democracy, lack of trust of the electoral commission and its operations, hijacking of political parties by individual financiers and former military rulers who call the shots.

As centre of right parties with respect for and understanding of the rule of law, transparency and accountability in governance, we must strive to reduce and remove setbacks to the growth of multiparty democracy in Africa. This gathering therefore seeks to find some answers on how to sustain and deepen our nascent democracies.

I know some valuable lessons will be learnt from this meeting, which I believe would be applied to uplift the organisational prowess of our various political parties in our respective countries.

I wish all participants fruitful deliberations in the course of the Conference and I have no doubt that this Conference will be a very successful one.

Accra is a beautiful city and I am convinced that you are all going to enjoy your stay and carry back with you pleasant memories this conference.

Akwaaba to you and thank you!