Accra, July 9, GNA - Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Outgoing Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations on Monday said the Diaspora represented a huge opportunity for Ghana and urged Ghanaians to welcome those from there as brothers and sisters.
He said there was the need for Ghanaians to get involved in the programme dubbed: "Joseph Project" aimed at reconciling Africans in the Diaspora to those in the homeland during a launch of a website for the project.
The website, www.josephproject.com has information about the project and other materials which can be used for research purposes as well as information about Africans who had excelled in their career. The website had had about 120 thousand hits in three months which implied that people in the Diaspora were really interested in the project, the outgoing Minister said and urged Ghanaians to be genuine in their dealing with the people from the Diaspora.
Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey stressed the need for Ghanaians to welcome those coming back from the Diaspora as their kith and kin and be actively involved in the programme.
He expressed concern about the lack of Ghanaian participation in the Emancipation and PANAFEST programmes, saying, "We must not see it as a programme meant for foreigners.
The celebration would have delegations from the United States Virgin Islands led by the Senate presidents.
There would be delegations from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Canada and a lot of African Americans.
Activities lined up for the celebration includes a Caribbean carnival in Kumasi on July 26.
There would be durbars in every region, Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said and explained that every region was involved in the slave trade. Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey said the celebrations would be climaxed on August 1, with a healing concert at the Elmina Castle.
"The healing concert will involve traditional priests who would perform ceremonies to heal our wounds from the past," he said, and noted that we need to forgive each other as Africans and accept forgiveness from each other.
The ceremony will also be attended by Chiefs across the West African sub-region Mr Joe Baidoe-Ansah, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Diasporan relations launched the website and said the project was not a tourism product and explained that the programme was under the Diasporan portfolio of the Ministry.
"It is a Pan-African programme; it is about the future; it seeks to recognize and deliver on two key messages which are African unity and African strength.
