Our visit has been successful, memorable and humbling experience

Mrs Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives and her team have ended their visit to Ghana describing the trip as a successful one.

In her view, Ghana was a true friend of US and ranked Ghana, as a peaceful country assuring that the US will continue to foster a closer cooperation between the two countries.

Mrs Pelosi said this on Wednesday at the end of a visit to Ghana with her 13- member US Congressional Delegation to discuss issues including regional security, sustainable and inclusive development as well as climate change.

The Caucus' four-day historic visit to Ghana, a result of months of deliberations between the Government and the US Congress, coincides with the 'Year of Return' celebrations that marks the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved Africans landing in America.

The visit is also part of Government's push to get the wider Diaspora community to take part in the 'Year of Return' celebration.

One of the problems over the years, Mrs Pelosi said, had been the taking of natural resources from the country and processing it out.

The best form of trade, she said was for companies to invest in the economic development to employ locals, build their capacities to transform the natural resource into finish products.

“With this approach, the country will reach fulfillment because locals will be employed and people’s lives will improve,” she added.

She praised Ghana for its sterling democratic credentials and lauded the country's role in being an exporter of peacekeepers around the world.

"Ghana’s role in global security is very commendable...Militarily, politically, culturally, we salute Ghana," she added.

Referencing to a statement by Ghana’s First President Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Mrs Pelosi said the friendship between the two countries would endure as long as the two countries exist.

The US and Ghana, she said shared a common value of democracy, culture and human rights, adding that they would support Ghana and Africa to grow its economy to provide employment to people especially women and alleviate poverty.

Mr Jim Clyburn, the Majority Chief Whip of the US House of Representatives and a member of the Black Caucus, said all of his experiences had not been pleasant but the visit to Cape Coast castle was a blessing but was not pleasant.

“Yesterday was a real blessing but was not pleasant… As I walk through the door of ‘no return’ and back into the courtyard I felt that it was a blessing and I look forward to working together with the leadership of this country that we do what is necessary not to relive this history,” he recalled.

On the governance approach to Ghana, he said the US future would be trade and not aid and expressed the hope that Africa Growth Opportunities Act would be a foundation to build a trade programme that would be mutually beneficial to both countries.

Mr Clyburn stated that there were many individuals and firms that had come to Ghana and were working to support the economy.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Member of the Budget, Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, said the tides that binds were being strengthened and that Africa mattered in the trade and aid policies of US.

She stated that the visit was very memorable, uplifting and exciting experience and that the US would work together to continue to build the relationship.

Madam Lee urged small business to diversify the kind of trade from technology to agriculture to export more to boot the economy of both countries.

Other members of the Delegation include, Congressman Bobby Rush, Member of the Energy and Commerce Committees, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Member of the Appropriation and Budget Committees and Congressman Hank Johnson, Member of the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure Committees.

The rest are Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Member of the Energy, Commerce and Homeland Security Committees, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Member of the Agriculture, Education, Labour and House Administration Committees, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Member of the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees and Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Member of the Budget, Education Labour and Foreign Affairs Committees and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Member of the Financial Services and Joint Economic Committees.