Accra, Dec. 20, - Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has affirmed that Ghana’s economic reset, pursuit of historical justice, and long-term national transformation are closely tied to a strengthened relationship with the African diaspora.
Closing the 2025 Diaspora Forum on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, she said the gathering had taken place at a pivotal time when Ghana had intentionally placed history, justice and shared responsibility at the core of domestic and continental policy engagements.
She observed that discussions over the two-day summit had reinforced the view that reparations were not abstract moral appeals but complex political, economic and historical questions that demanded structured processes, sustained effort and credible leadership. The dialogue, she said, had further defined Ghana’s evolving partnership with its global citizens.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang reiterated that the notion of the diaspora as Ghana’s “17th region” reflected more than rhetoric, noting that it acknowledged the diaspora’s continuing contributions to national development through remittances, skills transfer, investments, advocacy, and preservation of cultural heritage.
She stressed that Ghana’s national reset could not be achieved without strong, purpose-driven collaborations and reiterated government’s commitment to deepen diaspora-friendly policies and create clearer pathways for return, investment and cooperation.
Referencing ongoing programmes in economic revitalisation and agricultural transformation, she said these provided deliberate avenues for diaspora participation and would be effective only if anchored in enabling conditions rather than slogans. Under the Reset Ghana agenda, she noted, macroeconomic stability was gradually being restored, with falling inflation, improved reserves and renewed investor confidence.
These gains, she said, were foundational rather than final outcomes, and were intended to attract credible partners and investors both domestically and internationally. She called on diaspora communities to support efforts to consolidate the progress recorded so far.
On Ghana’s continental leadership role, she said President Mahama’s assignment as the African Union Champion for Reparations reflected a substantive commitment to dignity, memory and material claims of Africans and people of African descent across the world. Engaging with this legacy, she added, required sustained social, economic and psychological rebuilding grounded in accountability.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the 2025 Diaspora Forum as a landmark in Ghana’s relations with its global diaspora, noting that it represented a decisive move toward institutionalising diaspora involvement in national development and embedding it permanently in state policy.
He said deliberations brought together stakeholders from Africa, the Caribbean and the wider international community, whose contributions affirmed the global importance of Ghana’s reparations and diaspora agenda. Participants, he indicated, identified persistent regulatory and legal barriers to diaspora investment and urged reforms to unlock diaspora capital and expertise.
Mr Ablakwa emphasised that reparatory justice constituted both a legal and moral obligation and was not an act of benevolence, while recognising that financial compensation alone could not redress the full effects of colonialism. He also stressed that Ghana’s advocacy would not damage relations with international partners but would instead strengthen them through dialogue anchored in restitution and mutual respect.
He disclosed that government would introduce an e-visa regime in the first quarter of 2026, with special concessions for Africans in the diaspora to ease and reduce the cost of travel to Ghana. He said tangible follow-up measures would determine the true impact of the forum.
Participants expressed optimism that sustained collaboration with the diaspora would translate shared history into shared prosperity and reinforce Ghana’s role as a leading advocate in Africa’s global engagement.
GHBUSS
No comments:
Post a Comment