Activists from more than 60 countries across the different time zones and from all the continents of the world poured into Accra over the weekend.
They came to the 8th Pan African Congress (8th PAC) hosted by Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana to celebrate their Africaness and to find ways of overcoming the numerous problems confronting Africans everywhere.
The participants were intellectuals, working people, social and political activities, trade unionist, and leaders of the gender movement, cultural exponents and many more.
The visitors included the Heads of State and Government who came to Accra for mainly the ceremonial aspects of the congress and to send a signal that even the formal state actors want to be identified with struggles of the African people.
Just before the congress it had been confirmed that the President of Benin and special envoys of the presidents of Algeria, Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea and Iran were already in the country.
General Kahinde Otafire, Chairman of the Pan African Movement who doubles as Minister of justice of Uganda was also in Accra. There were also special representatives of the Communist party of Cuba, the POLISARIO and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Opening the Congress, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana bemoaned the fact that in spite of the huge resources on the African continent, many Africans continue to suffer poverty, illiteracy, hunger and general under development.
President Mahama saw African unity as a key ingredient in the search for solutions to the problems confronting the African people. The congress discussed the economic, social and political problems of Africa and paid particular attention to the mobilization of youth and students.
It focused attention also on the role of trade unions in the battle against under development and question of racism and violence against black people. The first Pan African Congress was held in London in 1900.
It is generally acknowledged that the 5th Pan African Congress in Manchester, united Kingdom led to the acceleration of the struggle for decolonization in Africa south of the Sahara.
Ghana’s founder, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was the Secretary of that Congress which was chaired by George Padmore.
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