APARTHEID OPPOSED

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28222, 9 March 1957, Page 11

APARTHEID OPPOSED

Ghana Leader Gives Views

ACCRA, March 7. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Prime Minister of Ghana, said at Accra today that if he had his way he would smash the South African system of apartheid, which, he said, did not conform to the principles of Christian ethics. In reply to a question at a press conference, he said that in the near future he might convene a pan-African conference of independent States, “We want to give territories in Africa an African personality and the only way we can do that is to call such a conference,’’ he said.

Those invited would include Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Liberia, and possibly—as a gesture—South Africa, he said. Asked whether Ghana would join the Asian and African bloc of countries, he said the various independent States of Africa must first come together. “We must first get to know our own line of thought before approaching any other bloc,’’ he said.

Asked about Ghana’s future relationship with the Commonwealth, in view of rumours that he might make the country a republic, Dr. Nkrumah said: “We are going to remain within the Commonwealth. I have made that clear.

“There is no idea of a republic in my mind, but if the people wanted it I would be prepared to go with them provided the republic remained within the Commonwealth.’ ’ The Duchess of Kent left Accra for London today after representing the Queen at the founding ceremonies of Ghana. Before leaving, she watched the last big event of Ghana’s independence celebrations —a national durbar at Achimoto, near Accra, which was attended by 50 paramount chiefs from all parts of the territory.