Former President John Agyekum Kufuor arrived home Thursday night after a four-day visit to Abjua, Nigeria, where he delivered the keynote address at the 4th Annual Forum of Luareates of the Nigerian National Order of Merit.
A statement signed by the Spokesperson of the former President, Mr Frank Agyekum, said five personalities were awarded this year for excelling in Science, Medicine, Engineering/Technology, and Huamanities which includes Arts and Culture.
The Merit award is given every year to Nigerians who have contributed outstandingly to national development and so far 70 Nigerians, including this year�s winners, have been honored since its inception in 1979.
President Kufuor urged the winners to serve as a critical mass for thinking to fashion the development of Nigeria into an emerging economy to serve as a growth pole in the sub-region.
�The challenge is to accelerate the pace of development by using institutions of the Federal Constitution as a nursery ground for producing leaders who are national in outlook and with a missionary zeal to realize the great potential of a united Nigeria which is apparent,� he said.
�This will help to mould the contending ethnic groups into harmony and help to remove the perceived mutual distrust among them,� he said.
Former President Kufuor held closed door meetings with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and the Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Iweala.
He also visited the Shehu Musa Yar�Adua Foundation established in 2002 in memory of the former Chief of Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces from 1977 to 1979 and later as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party. He was imprisoned by the military govenrment of the day in 1995 and executed in 1997.
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