Ghanaian leaders lead change at Black History Festival in Columbus

The Black History Festival, a special initiative dedicated to the celebration of the strong ties between the governments of the United States of America and the African Union member states, allows stakeholders to have a common platform to commemorate the heritage, arts, culture, trade, leadership, and innovation of Africa in the history of the United States of America.

Stephen Selasie Asuo, the coordinator of the Black History Festival, in a remark during this year’s event at Columbus, Ohio in the USA, indicated that the Black History Festival platform would become a strong bridge that would bring people together to talk about commerce, trade, cultural exchange, the strong diaspora and the future of Africa and the United States.

This, he added is because the platform was initiated to connect businesses, governments, private sector, and civil society in Africa and the United States.

Former Minister and Senior Advisor to the president, Yaw Osafo Marfo speaking at the festival said, “US and Africa relationship has gone through three major

faces and there’s the need to bring on board the private sector, businesses both in Ghana and the US, this idea of giving it a private sector dimension brings it to the taste of Americans and Ghanaians and the rest of the continent".

Some Africans in the diaspora believe if the government in power can create formal structures where the diaspora can invest without the fear of losing money, people would invest to make the African economy a strong one.

Awal Mohammed, the Minister for Tourism, Creative Arts reiterated that Africa wants to build a new partnership with the US and other allies that would add value to products on or from the continent. He was confident that the country by its 70th Independence anniversary, should be able to lead the way with great innovations on the continent.

COP Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, the Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) assuring the diasporans, hinted that EOCO was so much interested in ensuring that investments in Ghana are protected. She noted that the EOCO has a website where due diligence is carried out on potential investors to ensure they run no loss.

Carlos Ahenkorah, chairman of the parliamentary select committee on Trade, Industry, and Tourism, on his part noted that the leadership of Ghana is aware of the desire of many people in the diaspora to come back to establish businesses in Ghana but are left in doubt about how to safeguard their investments.

Ahenkorah added that those in the diaspora are nationals of Ghana and if they decide to set up businesses in Ghana, it should be treated as domestic businesses.

CEO of EIB Network, Nathaniel Adisi popularly known as Bola Ray in showbiz circles following his call to stakeholders to pay attention to the creative sector in the showbiz industry in Ghana said that until recent times, many media houses were not playing works of music and arts from Africa. However, many great radio and tv shows play afro beats on their programs indicating that afro beats are dominating the media space.

Adisi pointed out that many clubs, restaurants, and events around the world take delight in the African music and that alone was ample testimony to Ghanaians of a renaissance which must be taken advantage of to position the country's great potential.

Head of Diaspora at the Office of the president, Kwasi Awuah on his part expressed the belief that building on the foundations of the 'Year of Return and Beyond the Return' though very challenging, colleagues both in Ghana and the diaspora need to harness the great potential that the Black History Festival offers for a collective gain.

President and Group CEO of M & C Group, Michael Leslie Bartlett-Vanderpuje also called on corporations to support initiatives like the Black History Festival to make more impact and build ties between Africa and its bilateral partners especially the USA.

Bartlett-Vanderpuye noted that M & C Group are into business with international offices in Asia, America and Africa, has placed premium on expanding its reach to capture the global market.

The conglomerate decided to support the festival because it carries the spirit of globalisation of industries, cultural heritage and digital transformation-these are the ideals needed for Africa to catch up with the rest of the trading blocs he said.

The M & C Group were sponsors for the 2023 USA Edition of the black History Festival held in Columbus, Ohio with support from COA Mixture.

The second edition of the Black History Festival was held at Columbus, Ohio in the USA. Plans for the third edition are underway and promises to be a bigger and better experience according to the organizers, Bureau for International Development, Exchanges and Commerce (BIDEC) and their partners.