Accra, June 8, GNA – The Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute (KNII) has commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, for his solidarity with Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (ADB).
Dr Benjamin Anyagre, KNII Executive Director described the former Nigerian President’s call on former African heads to stand against “unfounded” allegations as bold steps especially the unfounded allegations against Dr Adesina.
Dr Anyagre in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra noted that although some whistle blowers had alleged, that Dr Adesina violated the ADB’s code of ethics as President, an independent body had cleared Dr. Adesina through laid down processes of the Bank.
He said it was unfortunate that other international governments were calling for another independent investigation to be carried out into the same case.
“President Obasanjo has demonstrated firm Pan-African leadership by rallying his colleague past Presidents of some African states to issue a press statement to support the laid down procedures on the allegations against Dr. Adesina,” Dr. Anyagre said.
He said it was worth noting that the positive outcomes of the financial and operational exploits of Dr. Adesina, had capitulated and maintained the Bank’s triple A rating by global standards.
Dr Anyagre said the Bank’s quest to improve the quality of life of Africans, needed the ultimate grassroots support of Africa.
“Africa must rise to protect her truest rights against any alien dictatorships that seek to thwart the original goals of the Bank that were set in 1964” he said.
Dr Anyagre added that it was important that those government who are seeking to interfere, stayed off the Bank, “which was set up by Africans to protect and promote the development of Africa.”
“In view of this, the KNII humbly suggests that the ADB considers assessing the feasibility of taking advantage of the COVID-19 organic discovery in Madagascar, to develop a pan African Pharmaceutical Company, using the medicine from Madagascar as its first major product,” he said.
Dr. Anyagre said such a move would unearth and market other powerful traditional African medicines that could match or surpass products from elsewhere.
Meanwhile Former President Obasanjo’s letter recounted that Dr. Adesina have led the ADB to achieve a historic general capital increase of 155 billion dollars, the highest in the history of the bank since its establishment in 1964.
It also stated that in less than five years of Dr. Adesina’s leadership, the Bank’s investments had benefited 333 million Africans among several other achievements.
“The Bank’s governance could be hijacked from Africa, if we do not rise up to defend the ADB,” the letter stated.
GNA