Ghana Community and traders in Dubai cry for Consulate

Accra, Nov. 23, GNA - The Ghana Community in Dubai and Ghana - Dubai traders have petitioned the Ghana Government to establish a Consulate in that country to attract Gulf investors, who were searching for enabling business environment to make both short and long term investments.

They said that Dubai being one of the fastest growing economies after China was targeting an alternative partner in Africa that had a strategic proximity to the West and Europe in an atmosphere of political and economic stability, a description, which befitted Ghana.


The community, consisting about 70 Ghanaians, said it would cost the Government about 49,000 dollars per annum to operate a consulate office in a three or four room flat in Dubai. The cost covers yearly office rental initial set up, operation cost and operational cost for first four months and excluded staff and administrative cost.


Mr Emil Akumah, one of the Spokespersons, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that they resolved at a meeting held on August 5, 2005 at Dubai to petition President John Agyekum Kufuor to intervene and redeem the image of Ghana and also to facilitate trade between the two countries. The Ghana Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr Amono Williams and 130 Ghanaian traders backed the petition.


He said the rate at which Ghanaian traders flocked to Dubai had made the country more popular for its proverbial hospitality, inductive environment for potential investors and tourists, but their zeal to visit Ghana are normally cut short as there was no embassy to attend to them.

".... It is always with heavy heart to look such persons in the face and tell them sorry; we do not have an embassy, except in Saudi Arabia", he said.


"There are lots of investment opportunities awaiting Ghana in Dubai."


Other signatories to the petition presented to the President on November 7, were S.J.A. Hagan and Davidson Rich-Agoe, both resident at Dubai and members of the taskforce set by the Ghana Community to see to the establishment of the Consulate.