Government committed to Commonwealth

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to the values of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Generally known as the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth of Nations is a political association of 53-member states, nearly all of them former territories of the then British Empire.

Speaking at a meeting with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland, at the Jubilee House on Thursday when she paid a courtesy call on the Presidency, the President said, “As a strong and faithful member, Ghana continues to stand by these values because the organisation has had positive influence on humanity.”

The Secretary-General is in the country to attend the Commonwealth Youth Senior Officials (African Region) Conference being hosted by Ghana.

President Akufo-Addo described Ms. Scotland as a distinguished professional who had made great achievements and mentioned particularly her interest in digitisation of countries which resonates with what is being done in Ghana today.

He mentioned that the initiative which dealt with data collection and analysis to help develop policy was a worthwhile initiative, while touting Ghana’s credentials as a functioning democracy and transparent society.

Apart from that, he indicated that the country attaches a great deal of importance to these values, saying it is the reason the organisation’s issues about good governance and accountability were welcomed by Ghana.

On her part, the Secretary-General commended the President for the programmes he had initiated especially those bordering on finding solutions to problems affecting the youth.

With 60 per cent of the country’s population under the age of 30 years, she noted that the hosting of the Commonwealth Youth Senior Officials meeting in Ghana was very important because one in two people in Africa is between the ages of 15 and 29. She commended the President for his support for the Commonwealth and its activities.

Ms. Scotland discussed with the President about the need for data collection and analysis, because most developing states have a paucity of data.

That, according to her, was what made the Commonwealth to launch its innovation after the Commonwealth heads of government meeting and engaged in the analysis in relations to trade.

She said the data gathered and analyzed would help countries to find trade opportunities and facilitation.