The Member of Parliament for Jomoro constituency, Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah, has underscored the need for African countries to meet regularly as a way of building a united front towards the continent’s development. “We need programmes that will bring Africans together to debate about continental unity to see how to move on,” she told the Times in an interview here, at the ongoing Pan African Cultural Festival (PANAF). The second PANAF being organised by the Algerian government is hosting 53 African countries to showcase the rich culture of the continent under the theme, ‘Africa Renaissance’. The three week-long event ends on July 20. Ms. Nkrumah said there was the need for African countries to co-operate as a continent in building on economies than currently, and explained that such a move would give the countries the opportunity to talk to each other regularly. “We must start doing things at the continental level. There is a strong need for that, we need to cement our ties as Africans,” she stressed. Ms. Samia said that apart from politics which often bring African leaders together, not much have been done in other sectors of the economy, hence urged all to work towards that regard. She said that although Africa has wealth of talents, this has not been recognised, adding “it is when we have greater ties that we can promote our talent and development.” The MP was happy that her father’s effort in decolonisation is still well known, documented and respected. On the PANAF, she lauded the Algerian government for taking the mantle upon itself to organise the second event 40 years after organising the first festival in 1969 at the time most African countries were under colonisation. She described the festival as “historic” for the fact that it had brought together more than 8,000 artists from the continent to network and exchange ideas culturally, as well as to foster ties with Algeria. The MP who was at the PANAF at the invitation of the Algerian government, met with the president of the Algerian Senate to discuss Ghana’s ties with Algeria as well as to brief him on the state of democracy in Ghana. According to Ms. Nkrumah, the president of the senate commended her for winning the parliamentary seat of her constituency and extended greetings to the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament. She also met with Algerian women parliamentarians. Source: Times