In Defence of Ghanaians Overseas

Ghanaians across the globe have marked Ghana?s 47th anniversary of independence ? from Lome to Freetown, London to Ottawa, Chicago to San Francisco, Oslo to Sidney, remembering the achievement of Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP, and demonstrating their love and connection to mother Ghana. In this election year it is very important that the interests of this very sizeable constituency of Ghanaians is not forgotten.

? Ghanaians abroad are currently disenfranchised.

? Ghanaians abroad suffer to get to their countries they now inhabit.

? They struggle to keep body and soul together and to make progress in their lives.

? Professionals often have to do additional study and courses, and non professionals struggle endlessly to find their feet without any meaningful help from Ghana Missions abroad.

? Many work very very long hours.

? They face increasing demand from relatives to remit ever more monies to Ghana.

? Statistics now emerging indicate that increasing numbers of Ghanaians are dying abroad through exhaustion, lack of exercise and a lack of holiday breaks.

? Ghanaians abroad are now major stakeholders in the future development of their motherland, not only because it is home and the wish for a better lives for relatives , but also because they are big investors in the economy of the country through their remittances.

Despite the above they have been treated shabbily by government.

They have been promised the vote but with 9 months to go to election 2004 , no concrete plans have been tabled on how and when Ghanaians abroad will be allowed to vote.

The government previously highlighted the massive increase in remittances from abroad ? an increase from $400m to $1.5billion , officially recorded. Government is perhaps quiet on this in recent months, for they now recognize that this is a direct result of the hardship imposed on Ghanaians since assuming office. If remittances have gone up four fold then off course hardship has gone up by a proportionate amount, and this amounts to punishing Ghanaians abroad. Woe betide anyone in Ghana today however without links to a Ghanaian abroad.

The simple and direct questions the CPP would ask the NPP Government is this:

? When will Ghanaians abroad get the vote?

? When will you stop punishing Ghanaians abroad with the intolerable hardship you impose on their families?

? When will you put policies in place which enable Ghana?s missions abroad assist their citizens in a more meaningful way?

Ghanaians abroad are suffering for mother Ghana and deserve to be treated better.

The CPP ? Defending The Interests Of Ghanaians Wherever They Are.