Ga Dangmes Abroad To Contribute Towards Development

Ga Dangme residents in Worcester and Massachusetts in New England have celebrated their annual Homowo festival and the swearing in of new officers of the Ga Dangme International (GDI).To mark the occasion, Dr. Benjamin Dodoo, a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine of the New York Medical College and Chairman of the Board of Directors, National Council of Ghanaian Associations thanked the Mayor for the City of Worcester for giving Africans the privilege to visit and also obtain knowledge in their various institutions including, Harvard, MIT, Tufts and Boston Universities.

Mr. Dodoo said, even though the population of Ga Dangmes is only eight per cent, he believes their contribution can go a long way to improve lives of the people of Ghana. He therefore asked for assistance in the areas of health care, education, trade and agriculture.

According to him, “Ga Dangmes who went on onto tertiary education in Ghana or abroad lived and worked in Ghana after they graduated. Today there are 1070 Ghanaian medical doctors practicing medicine in the USA. Forty nine per cent of these doctors are GaDangme. (Source: AMA-Master File) In the New York area alone there are 6, 4 00 Gadangme and 65% of them either hold BS—MS—or PHD. 75% of these Ga Dangme work in the public sector-doctors-nurses-teachers- accountants with the State or Federal government. (Source: USA Census and Immigration Data)”

He also expressed the hope that through the GDI, funds can be raised to improve the supply of drinking water in rural Gadangme. “It is good that you have chosen the Homowo occasion to rejuvenate your association” he said. This is because, it is a time for togetherness of all the Gadangme communities in Ghana and the Diaspora to feast, dance and settle any differences amongst families and friends.

Present at the ceremony were; Mayor Konstatine Lukes of the City of Worcester, Dr. Samuel Quartey, the vice chairman of GDI, Mr. Reginald Darko, General secretary and Isaac Nortey, Assistant treasurer. Others were Mr. Eric Quartey, chairman of the Gadangme Association of New YORK and the Vice President of the National Council Ghanaian Association, New York and Joshua Crabb the secretary of the Gadangme Association of Philadelphia.