Ghana’s Swiss Ambassador intensifies campaign

Geneva--The Ghana Embassy/Geneva mission in Switzerland continues its “open door policy” program, with a stop over in the Geneva municipality, at the hall of the World Council of Churches (WCC), on Saturday 28th November, 2009.

(The WCC offices is located on 150 route de Ferney, Geneva, near the offices of International Labor organization (ILO).

A statement issued and singed by Mr. Hakeem Balogun, counselor/consular of the Mission in Geneva says, the meeting will start with arrival of Ghanaians at the hall at 3.45 pm prompt, with the Ambassador entering at 16h00 Paris time.

The Ambassador, Mrs. Eileen Serwah Nee-Whang, who is also Permanent Representative accredited to the United Nations offices In Geneva and Vienna (Austria), will be expected to speak on Ghana government ‘s economic initiatives, private sector development and Ghana’s investment policy, aimed at attracting investors to the country.

Separation of powers:

Other areas of interest to Ghanaians in the Diaspora is the current government’s efforts at encouraging greater participatory democracy and respecting the line of separation between the Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary, to enhance, encourage and promote accountability in the system, discourage corruption, while promoting and protecting individual rights and free speech.

A commentator, Ogyam Kwabena in his article headed, “Mills chance to rid Ghana of corruption is now” published recently on Ghanaweb.com, welcomed various committees set up by President to eradicate corruption.

In the article Ogyam says, the number of investigative committees set up by the Mills administration appears to confirm the President’s campaign promise to end corruption in his tenure of office, adding, “perhaps it is a good thing for Ghana that Mr. Mills action would finally bring to Ghanaians the evil of corruption and the attendant issues thereof, but will it?”

Corruption in the system:

Corruption has bedeviled Ghanaian socio-political life since the country attained independence from the British some 52 years ago, claimed the commentator, re-echoing past efforts to tackle the issue, including the wide published media circus over late Krobo Edusei’s ,(one-time interior minister in the 1st republic), golden bed,

While institutionalized corruption in Ghana affecting the whole societal fabric, from the taxi-driver to the kenkey seller, tops the list of major issues which have turned into a household talk abroad, another teething problem facing the Diasporas is the Representation of the People (amendment) Bill, the controversial ROPAB, introduced in Parliament by then Kuffour government in 2005.

The bill which raised passionate and controversial discussions in both parliament and in public over the rights of Ghanaians abroad to exercise their right of vote was abandoned in 2008 just before the general elections.

Now Ghanaians abroad are in total limbo, even though the Constitution says every Ghanaian over 18 years of age and of sound mind is entitled to vote. The bill should have replaced Section 8 of the Representation of the People Law, 1992 (PNDCL 284) which gave only a special category of Ghanaians resident abroad the right to vote. What next, Her Excellency Mrs. Eileen Serwah Nee-Whang?

The statement signed by Mr. Balogun, urged all Ghanaian residents, from all –walk- of- life to attend “the evening with the Ambassador”, indicating:

“This is in recognition of the fact that a substantial amount of Ghana’s foreign exchange resources is earned through remittances and investment made by Ghanaians abroad could provide a pool of expertise for the country’s socio-economic development”.

From: Kwaku Boatin, Geneva.