Ex-Ghanaian Presidents, Labour Leaders Demand End to US-led Embargo Against Cuba *Denounce xenophobia

Two former Presidents of Ghana, John Kufur and John Mahama, as well as the leadership of labour unions and civil society groups across Africa on Monday called for an immediate end to the international trade blockade against Cuba.

Also, sentiments against the xenophobic attacks in South Africa echoed at the African Continental Conference of Solidarity with Cuba jointly organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Nigeria Solidarity Movement with Cuba on Monday in Abuja,

Former President of Ghana, John Mahama, who was represented by the National Women Leader of Democratic Party of Ghana, Hanna Loiusa Bision, said he hoped that the expression of solidarity by people around the world would send a signal to the United States of America that the continued trade embargo against the Cuban people is no longer acceptable.

While praising the resilience of the Cuban people, he said the country had made significant contributions to development in Africa.

According to Mahama, despite the orchestrated attempt by the world power to bring Cuba to its knees, the country is still standing tall and is never about to give up.

Another ex-President of Ghana, John Kufur, who was also represented at the event, said that apart from helping in the African liberation struggles, Cuba has provided development aides to African countries.

He said he was joining other leaders to demand that the people of Cuba be allowed to decide the system of government they want.

While welcoming African leaders and labour unions to the event, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said the aim of the event was to show solidarity with the people of Cuba and to demand an end to the economic blockade by the United States of America and its allies.

Wabba said such trade embargo can only affect the development assistance being enjoyed by needy countries around the world who are beneficiaries of the Cuban development aide.

"Our celebration of Cuba and its friendship with the African people cannot be complete without speaking up strongly for Cuba. For the umpteenth time, we call on the United States and its western allies to lift the economic blockade against the people of Cuba," he said.

The NLC president also said that the conference would afford an opportunity for African leaders to evaluate the lessons from the Cuban love for humanity and to begin to put that into practice.

Wabba said the recent xenophobic attacks, or ‘afrophobic’ attacks, would not have happened "if we truly share in the Cuban ideals of shared humanity."

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu who opened the foodgate of solidarity messages to the Cuban people  on the occasion, said that the island nation has a long history of solidarity with African people.

He said that apart from playing a leading role in the struggle for the emancipation of Africa from colonial rule, Cuba recently took the lead in providing doctors that helped in sumounting the spread of the deadly Ebola disease on the continent.

"We should never forget the sacrifice the Cubans have made to come here even when others were running away because they feel there was no cure for Ebola, but the Cuban doctors didn't do that," he said.

Onu also spoke about the sacrifices Nigeria and Cuba made to bring an end to apartheid in South Africa, saying that civil servants made monetary contributions towards funding the anti-apartheid struggle.

Prominent Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana also urged African leaders to rally Cuba people and ensure that the effects of the economic embargo is neutralised.

Falana asked the leadership of the South African ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the Socialist Party to rise and condemn the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans living in South Africa.

Falana got a loud ovation when he said: "I was happy when my comrade from South African communist party said that we must learn humanism from Cuba. South Africa must learn humanism from Cuba and that is why the ANC and the South African Communist party must condemn xenophobia and Afrophobia as that is the only way we can show that we are learning humanism from Cuba".

Speaking on Cuban contributions to African development, Falana said that it helped to arrest the spread of the Ebola scourge even when the only thing Western countries could offer Africa was mere sympathy.

He specifically said that Cuba sent about 400 doctors to Africa to assist in queling the medical crisis caused by the Ebola disease.

He urged African leaders to resolve to join hands to bring an end to the international embargo against Cuba and also end the Morrocan occupation of the Western Sahara.

Similarly, representative of the Namibian labour union, Christin Horbes said xenophobic attacks in South Africa  was a setback to the achievements recorded by continent's struggle for freedom, especially the dream of Africa's founding fathers for a united states of Africa.

She urged Africans to ignore the ugly incidence of xenophobia and continue to push forward in the spirit of solidarity and brotherhood.