Deputy Finance Minister applauds JICA volunteers for impact in Ghana

The Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has commended volunteers of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for their contribution to Ghana’s development and the strong relationships they have built with communities across the country.

Addressing 32 JICA volunteers during a courtesy call at the Ministry of Finance, Nyarko Ampem expressed appreciation for their dedication and service on behalf of the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

He said JICA’s 50 years of volunteer service and impact in Ghana would be worth commemorating in 2027, noting that the organisation’s volunteers had helped rekindle the spirit of volunteerism in Ghana.

“JICA volunteers continue to remind and rekindle the spirit of volunteerism in Ghana by demonstrating the importance of giving time and skills to support local communities,” he said.

Nyarko Ampem also disclosed that government had prioritised the construction of the Volivo Bridge and was planning to facilitate the drawdown of funds to accelerate the project.

He said the project, together with other road investments under the government’s Big Push programme, would improve transportation and reduce travel times to parts of northern Ghana.

The Deputy Minister said JICA’s programme had benefited many Ghanaians, including himself, recalling that he was taught Mathematics by a JICA volunteer as a child.

“Like me, many Ghanaians have benefited from the contribution of JICA volunteers over the years,” he said.

JICA’s cooperation with Ghana dates back to 1963, while the first batch of nine JICA volunteers arrived in the country on August 17, 1977.

Since then, 1,557 volunteers have served in various fields, including education, health and agriculture, providing technical assistance to institutions across Ghana. More than 4,700 Ghanaian officials have also received training in Japan or third countries.

The delegation included the Chief Representative of the JICA Ghana Office, Takayuki Uchiyama, and the Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Japan, Naoki Mitori.

Mitori said the volunteer programme went beyond transferring Japanese knowledge and expertise, as volunteers also learned from Ghanaian culture, food, language and community experiences.

The visit provided an opportunity for the volunteers, who are serving in communities across eight regions of the country, to share their experiences and reflect on the relationships they have built with Ghanaians.

The event also featured a judo demonstration by members of the Ghana Judo Federation, highlighting the cultural and developmental exchanges that have characterised the longstanding partnership between Ghana and Japan.