Dr. Joseph Agoe joins Ghanaian community in Queensland to commemorate their 25th Anniversary

On the evening of 6 March 2021, the High Commissioner, His Excellency Dr. Joseph Agoe joined compatriots in Queensland to commemorate the twenty-fifth (25th) Anniversary of the Ghanaian Community. The memorable event which took place at the Queensland Parliament House was very well attended and graced by some Queensland Government Officials.

In his remarks, the High Commissioner commended the pioneers of the Association for their foresight and the Association’s system of governance which allows for regular alternation of the leadership and the active involvement of the youth. Dr. Agoe noted that the Ghanaian Association in Queensland was very well organised, law abiding and industrious.

Due to the good reputation earned in the Queensland Community, Ghanaians were the first Group of multicultural Associations ever allowed to have an event at the Parliament House. The representative of the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Ms Jonty Bush, who is a Member of Parliament and Mr Wayne Briscoe, Executive Director for Multicultural Affairs Queensland both in their addresses, lent credence to this fact.

The commemoration was also an opportunity to recognise members of the Ghanaian Community who have excelled in various endeavours and contributed in diverse ways to the progress of the Association. The appreciation was done through the presentation of plaques.

The 25th milestone of the Association of Ghanaians in Queensland coincided with Ghana’s 64th anniversary of regaining her independence from colonial rule. The High Commissioner therefore took advantage of the opportunity to say a few things about Ghana’s independence and how far we have come as a nation.

Dr. Joseph Agoe indicated that our national day presents opportunities to evaluate our trajectory as a nation since regaining our independence. He emphasised that Ghana was a free nation before colonialization and therefore the freedom that was taken away was re-gained on Independence Day.

He observed that despite the many hurdles we have faced over the years, we have been resilient as a people and our institutions of State have stood the test of time. According to the High Commissioner, as a nation, we continue to surmount our challenges and have unceasingly demonstrated beyond all doubt that the Ghanaian can move beyond an era of strong men, to an era of enduring strong institutions that undergird our fight against poverty, diseases, insecurity, ethnic threats, and corruption.

The High Commissioner assured his compatriots in Queensland that the government remained committed to the promotion of economic growth and development, as encapsulated in the “GHANA BEYOND AID” Agenda, established since January 2017, and being implemented through the ten (10) point pillars of the government's Industrial Transformational Agenda.

He regretted, however, that the economic gains made through the Government’s ambitious industrial sector revitalization began to erode with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the High Commissioner noted that Ghana’s economic outlook remained positive, particularly with the re-opening of the International border in September 2020 and the recent roll out of the COVID-19 vaccination plan in Ghana.

The High Commissioner concluded by inviting businesses and Ghanaians in the State of Queensland to take advantage of the attractive incentives available for genuine investment in the various sectors of the Ghanaian economy. He drew attention to the fact that the coming into force of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and the positioning of its Secretariat in Ghana made the country an even more attractive investment destination and a gateway for investors into the wider West African market of over three hundred and fifty million people.