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By Emmanuel Aziken
A continental summit to equip African businessmen and professionals to grapple with the spiritual challenges of the global economic meltdown is commencing in Abuja next week.

The summit which is organised by the Continental Prayer Ministry Intercessors for Africa is to be flagged-off by President Umaru Yar‘Adua.

It has the theme: “Building Prosperous Economies in Africa.’’

National delegates are also expected to prepare actionable work plans to brush up their political leaders for strategic leadership, Mr. Okechukwu Emmanuel, National President of Africa Kingdom Business Forum (AKBF), the business affiliate of the prayer ministry said.

While lamenting the dearth of passionate leaders on the continent, Emmanuel said: “It is almost like a paradox when people are talking about meltdown, why should Africa be talking about building prosperous economy?’’

“We felt that this is a season when God normally visits the continent whenever there are emergencies. Africa comes up and so God taught us to build on the theme building prosperous economies in Africa.’’

Participants for the workshop holding from June 16 to 20 are coming from countries including Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroun, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Burundi, Benin and Nigeria, among others.

“Businessmen and professionals are coming because it is actually aimed at leadership and the market place. We are trying to build the kind of manpower that is necessary to drive the African economy,” he added.

to the point where we can be competitive and be able to serve the various nations and our people,’’ Okechukwu said.

On expectations from the meeting, he said:

”We are expecting quite some things, we have the challenges that are facing the continent of Africa because a lot of our people in Africa have challenges here and there and we are looking at a situation whereby the delegates and resource persons at the end of it will present a workable action plans that can be presented to the governments of our various nations that will be in attendance.’’

“Things that can be implemented to encourage the building of the entrepreneurial spirit and in helping nations in trying to navigate their way out of the various frustrations that we are going through as African people.’’

“You know that the way that the economies of the world are going, Africa has to look up to God for divine direction. One of our major reasons for this workshop is the lack of strategic leaderships, men who have vision, men who have passion for God, have passion for their people, have passion for the continent for Africa.’’

“Even some of the wicked leaders they love their nations whether they be Iran or North Korea they are passionate about their nations but we have an opposite situation in Africa where people are passionate about themselves and perhaps a few things about their tribes and their various political leanings,’’ he noted.

“Outside Africa when people finish with political campaigns everybody faces nation building, but we don’t have that here. We are trusting that God will help African delegates to go home with some action plans that can be implemented perhaps over some set period of time,’’ he asserted.