Accra-Ghana, Sept. 23, – Princess Selasi Fiadonu, a Switzerland Diaspora has initiated a forum called ‘Diaspora Connect’ to create unity among Ghanaian diaspora in Europe and America to strengthen ties and amplify their impact.
Speaking at the Diaspora Connect workshop at the Armed Forces Mess in Accra, Ms Fiadonu, a Swiss Attorney, said the goal is to bring together the entire diaspora to identify strategies for raising awareness.
It is also to facilitate connections between Ghanaians in Ghana and those who live abroad to contribute economically to the development of the nation.
She said the inspiration for the project came from her experiences as a young, dark-skinned woman living abroad who had to deal with prejudice, discrimination, and restrictions.
She emphasized that her difficulties were shared by other Ghanaians living abroad.
Princess Fiadonu revealed that there is an unknown feeling of fear among some diaspora members who want to make initiatives in Ghana due to some negative narratives.
However, she was fortunate to have been born in Ghana and is aware of the opportunities that the country can offer the diaspora.
On her difficulties in trying to create connections with some Ghanaian firms, she noted that they needed awareness and motivation to come back to Ghana.
“Trying to reach out to law firms to partner with lawyers abroad for internships was disappointing. We want to know concretely about the legal systems in Ghana and maybe become part of the Ghana Bar Association,” she said.
Princess Fiadonu requested the government’s support in targeting not only the Americans and the British diaspora but other Europeans as well because there was little done about them in the Year of Return.
Dr. Maulana Maulana, founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Future, who spoke as a special guest of the event, applauded the Switz lawyer for bringing to light the problems of the African Diaspora living outside Ghana.
Dr. Maulana indicated further that there were billions of dollars of investment that the diaspora wanted to bring into Ghana but was afraid of getting into the wrong hands of people.
He encouraged that initiative to yield its merits and be a factor that will be the centre for Ghanaian Africans of the diaspora to know how to make their voices heard and have government and non-government organisations set up as information centres so they do not find difficulties coming back to Ghana.
Mr. Divine Kwame Owusu-Ansah, Deputy Director Art and Culture at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, said Diaspora Connect was in order and exactly what they have been trying to do because it goes to cement what the tourism sector was doing to bring people from Switzerland and abroad to connect with to foster good relations.
Mr. Owusu-Ansah revealed that the ministry has established the Diasporan Relationship Office at the Ghana Tourism Authority and is collaborating with the Ghana Information Centre to work closely with the Ghanaian diapora community.
He said the office works to take them through processes and simplify procedures for acquiring necessary documentation so that they will be able to establish their businesses without going through any challenges.
