Chief justice Wood addresses independence event in new york

The Chief Justice, Lady Justice Georgina Theodora Wood has urged Ghanaians abroad to do more to support the country.

Apart from sending money home regularly, she said they should help to imbibe the culture of hard work, industry and results-oriented approach to do doing things.


The Chief justice, who is on a working visit to the United States of America was addressing a cocktail held at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday to mark Ghana's 57th Independence anniversary.


Organized by the Ghana UN Social Recreational Club(UNSRC),a group of Ghanaians working with the UN, the event was attended by representatives of various UN member-countries, friends of Ghana and some Ghanaians currently in the USA for various assignments including Dr. Philomena Nyarko, Government Statistician. Justice Georgina Theodora Wood underscored the fact that Ghana, can move beyond her current position giving the amount of resource and wealth at her disposal. "There is no reason, why we should remain where we are now", she said adding that "we must encourage each other and contribute to do more for the benefit of our dear country. We should inspire and work together to arrive at the place where we intend to be."


The Chief Justice also harped on the need for accountability and integrity in all endeavors.


To this end, she called for a re-orientation of the attitudes and values that will help the nation achieve more for her people.

Professor Paolo Galizzi of the Fordham Law School,New York who accompanied the Chief Justice to the event, insisted that Africa can do a lot for itself.


He noted that there were many local solutions that could be found,explaining that different African countries may require different solutions, but that is where those in the diaspora could support effectively.


"If you look at all the resources available, it is difficult to understand why Africa is like this", he lamented and tasked Africans to do more to improve their lot.


Observing that no country in the world can do it alone,Prof.Paulo Galizzi demanded of Africans abroad "We should try and give hope to others, we all have a shared responsilbilty".


The acting president of the Ghana UN Social Recreational Club(UNSRC), Mr Ishmael Nii Dodoo said UNSRC members wanted government to create a mechanism for a dialogue around how to harness the diaspora wealth of resources and human capital for the benefit of the country.

In this vein, he commended the Government for establishing the Diaspora Suppotrt Unit, saying "We look forward to the first Diaspora Support dialogue event to be organized in the next few months". Considering the tremendous economic growth Ghana recorded in ther last few years and the downward economic trends, Nii Dodoo said "what Ghana today needs is the harnessing of all her wealth and capital,irrespective of the form and where it is found-both home and abroad".


Ghana's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN,Mr.W.Awinador Kanyerige was optimistic that despite the challenges in the country, "things will be looking up for us".


He praised Ghana's judiciary,headed by Lady Justice Wood for promoting the Rule of law to impact Ghana's development.