UNITED Nations Secretary- General Kofi Annan has been decorated with Ghana’s highest honour, Companion of the Order of the Star of Ghana, while on an official visit to his West African homeland. Speaking at a state banquet for the occasion, President Jerry Rawlings described Annan, the first UN secretary-general from sub-Saharan Africa, as a man of honour who had brought pride to Ghana and Africa. Annan, 62, paid tribute to his gold and cocoa exporting country, saying: “I’ve never forgotten my roots in Ghana. Those roots have served me well wherever I’ve travelled and worked.” In his acceptance speech, Annan defended globalisation, saying it had much to offer to less developed nations if multinational corporations behaved responsibly. “People would rather trade their way out of poverty than live on hand-outs,” he said.