CHAPTER 1 of the Base Document on the African Peer Review Mechanism). There is a real danger, however, that if delayed for too long, stakeholders in Ghana may lose interest and the present pulsating momentum within the country may fade. As Ghana is also the first country to reach this final stage of the APRM process, there is undue interest within Africa and in the rest of the world in this report for Ghana's process to be finalised. 37. At the time of its visit, the CRM was informed that the initial POA submitted by the NAPRM-GC was still being costed and refined by a ministerial committee, appointed by the President. It is appreciated that the APRM Secretariat, due to time constraints, was under extreme pressure to proceed with the Mission. The revised POA was, however, not available to the Mission and was only forwarded to the Secretariat in mid-May 2005, thus inhibiting the Mission's recommendations during the CRM. In the light of the foregoing, the Panel decided to have a workshop in Ghana on the POA following the CRM. This workshop was held on 8 June 2005 and was attended by the Chairperson of the Panel, the Leader of the Ghana Review Process, and the APR Secretariat. The APRM delegation discussed extensively the Panel's recommendations and the Ghana POA; reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of Ghana to implement the POA; and confirmed the willingness of all stakeholders to participate in, and follow up on the implementation. 38. The findings of the CRM in the four focus areas of the APRM (Democracy and Good Political Governance; Economic Governance and Management; Corporate Governance; and Socio-Economic Development) are presented in the next four chapters. 39. It must be stated at the outset that it was not a function of the CRM or Panel to make its own assessments of the situation in Ghana. The task of the CRM in the APR process is clearly defined in the AU Document on the African Peer Review Mechanism Organisation and Procedures: 7.10 … the visit is an opportunity for the APRM Team to discuss the draft Programme of Action that the country has drawn up to improve their governance and socio-economic development, to provide positive reinforcement for the sound aspects, and to address identified weaknesses and shortcomings in the various areas of governance and development.” 40. The main emphasis in the process rests with what the country itself is prepared and able to produce. The APRM is, after all, structured around the non-negotiable principles of national ownership and leadership, and self-assessment. 12