Diaspora is Ghana’s '11th region’ – Government

The Director of Diasporan Relations at the Office of the Presidency, Akwasi Awua Ababio, has said that government considers the diaspora the “11th region” of Ghana whose resources must be harnessed for the growth of the economy.

Mr Ababio, who was a guest on Class FM’s World Affairs to discuss diaspora relations and the 2017 Ghana Homecoming Diaspora Summit scheduled for July 5 to July 8, emphasised that the summit was a bridge towards wooing and providing resources for Ghanaians living abroad to invest back home.

He underscored that the necessary infrastructure and systems are being implemented to ensure that the diaspora initiative, which was part of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2016 manifesto, comes to fruition.

Running parallel to the four-day summit will be an exhibition at which companies, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and entrepreneurs will demonstrate their support for the objectives of the event as well as showcase employment opportunities and business projects that require special talents or resources that the diaspora may be able to provide.

The summit, themed “Development, Opportunity, Value: Welcome Home” is under the auspices of the Government of Ghana, to establish relationships with the diaspora community.

The special guest of honour for the programme is President Nana Akufo-Addo, while former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, will grace the occasion.

The platform creates continuous dialogue and opportunity for the Ghanaian community abroad to interact with their country in a productive and mutually beneficial way to harness Ghana’s resource potential for accelerated development.

Under the partnership of the Ghana Investment Promotion Council, Diaspora Relation Office, Ministry of Business Development, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the summit aims to enhance sustainable mechanisms supporting and promoting full diasporan participation in Ghana’s development.