Ghanaians in Diaspora meets in Accra

Mr Sylvester Jude Kpakpo Parker- Allotey, a Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MoFARI) has noted that the Diaspora constitutes rich source of finance, human and social capital for national development.

He said successive as well as the present governments have factored the contributions, as well as the capacity of Ghanaians abroad for national development.

Government on August 2012 established the Diaspora Support Unit (DSU) under the Legal and Consular Bureau of MoFARI to deepen Diaspora engagements with government.

Mr Parker- Allotey, Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, made the observation on Monday in Accra at the opening of the Africa Gives Diaspora Volunteering Mission of the African Foundation for Development, where young Diasporas from the United Kingdom and the United States interacted with staff of MoFARI on ways to help promote direct investment in Africa.

“Subsequently, upon a presidential directive, the DSU was transformed into a full-fledged Diaspora Affairs bureau- the national platform for Diaspora engagement, migration and development in February 2014,” he said.

Mr Parker- Allotey said the key objectives of the engagement was to inform Ghanaians in the Diaspora about government’s social and economic development initiatives and ensure an objective understanding of the development challenges at home.

"It is also to implement and evaluate, establish links between Ghanaian in the Diaspora and the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, particularly in sectors yearning for private participation, and ensure that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration will be the right advocate of Ghanaians in the Diaspora and the rest of government,” Mr Parker-Allotey said.

He called on stakeholders to liaise with government, MoFARI and the Diaspora youth to help improve policy formulation and development to impact social and economic development.

Madam Emma Orefuwa, Programme Manager, Africa Give and Leader of the five- member delegation said the engagement was a platform for young diasporas to engage, share practices, skills and also empower themselves towards the development of Africa.

She said during their two weeks visit they would concentrate on travelling across Ghana to liaise with various entrepreneurs and make right connections with resource persons to enhance the well-being of the people.

“Basically, we are trying to grow a strong sense of Ghanaian identity to help give back to our society, youth as well as Africa at large and to get a better understanding of how Ghana is affecting her youth, building their relations across the country that is helping to benefit both the continent and the Diaspora,” she said.