Dr Benson Bana, High Commissioner of Tanzania to Nigeria, has called for prayers for serving and retired African leaders, and those who have passed on.

According to Bana, the prayers are necessary in view of their contributions to the growth of the continent.

The Tanzanian envoy made the call on Saturday in Abuja, while briefing journalists on the activities put together by the mission to mark Tanzania’s 60th independence anniversary celebration.

According to him, there would be an interfaith prayers at 4p.

“We must first and foremost pray to God, to thank God for preserving Tanzanians and for keeping the country until this 60th year.

“To us, it is something that we need to thank the almighty God for, but more importantly we thank God for Tanzania as a nation and for Nigeria, our host.

“Nigerians have been generous to us; Tanzania has been in Nigeria since 1970, while Nigeria has been in Tanzania since 1962, two years after her independence and establishment of mission.

“We will be thanking God for keeping the people of the two countries closer together and for the good of the two nationals.

“We will be praying for African leaders in power, for those who have retired and those who have passed on, for their contributions during the colonial era and independence period.”

He said the mission would donate facilities worth N1.7 million to an orphanage in Abuja, as part of activities to mark the independence anniversary celebration.

He further said that a special dialogue would be held as part of activities to celebrate the country’s anniversary and years of uninterrupted democratic rule in Tanzania.

“Tanzania has made significant progress in the promotion of gender equality and deliberate efforts to introduce affirmative action, as well as opposed discrimination against woman participation in politics.

“After Africa had been liberated and we are now enjoying political freedom, what can be done to invigorate such spirit?

“We want to look into these concepts; liberation struggle and Pan-Africanism to generate discussion that could help the country.

“We will revolve discussion around foreign policies in African countries; although about 35 countries ratified the African Free Trade Continental Agreement, what are the implication of the agreement to member nation’s protocol? He said.

He noted that although Africa has great economic potentialities, a lot of effort was needed to tackle many issues in the continent, especially poverty.

“Right from the 60s, all African countries gained independence, irrespective of their colonial dispensation, most countries are now relatively free.

“We made significant development at political levels, we participated in elections, we elected our leaders, with free media and free civil societies, but when it comes to economic development, we are lagging behind.

“What are the factors that explained the politics and development in economic spheres? Such that you see large number of people living below poverty lines,” the envoy added. (NAN)