Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee
The Ghana government is very interested in utilizing the skills and contributions of the Ghanaian diaspora for more development, the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee said.
She has therefore asked them to contact the Ghana Mission in New York or any of the embassies abroad where Diaspora desks have been created to listen to their concerns, criticisms and suggestions.
“Nothing is too small for Ghana’s development,” she said. “We are ready to assist you if you want to do something back home.”
The Ambassador spoke at a dinner/dance organized by the Council of Ghanaian Associations in New Jersey at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Newark on March 12 to mark Ghana’s 59th independence anniversary.
“Think of how you can do more for the country” she charged them at the ceremony, at which 14 scholarships were awarded to high school and college students by the Council. The students who have impressive academic excellence were selected from each of the 14 member associations that make COGA- NJ. Each beneficiary received $250 educational support. Four female cultural dancers were also given $250 as merit awards.
“Our forbears sacrificed a lot for Ghana and it is our duty to also contribute [to] our quota. We expect more from you going forward,” Pobee said.
The ambassador urged them to be proud as Ghanaians, saying that “Ghana’s democracy is well known. In Africa, Ghana’s democratic credentials stands out. Ghana is noted for its freedoms and respect for human rights.”
Even though attempts to set a benchmark for economic development have not achieved all that the country wanted, she noted that various measures taken by the government are yielding fruitful results, remarking that “We are doing better.”
To buttress her argument, the ambassador said the energy crisis that the country suffered recently had been solved, to the extent that there is energy surplus to export, adding that “the good thing is that when you go through challenges, you build resilience.”
The government, she said, greatly appreciated all the contributions of Ghanaians abroad, including their regular remittances which support the economy and the donations to various groups.
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