Govt Provides £20,000 Towards Ghanaian Community Centre In The UK

The Government of Ghana has made available 20 thousand Pounds Sterling towards the acquisition of a Community Centre for the Ghanaian community in the United Kingdom.

The need for a community centre for the Ghanaian community in the UK has been more pressing now than ever. Currently it is estimated that there are more than 500 thousand Ghanaians residing in the UK, about 85 percent of the number live in and around London alone.

It is also estimated that about 10 thousand Pounds Sterling is spent by Ghanaians on the hiring of facilities for social and other Ghanaian events weekly.

A situation, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo deemed as “arithmetically incorrect.”

While a lot of communities like the Turkish, Nigerian, Romanian, and many other communities in the UK having their own community centres, Ghanaians in the UK continue to hire venues even for official functions such as hosting of Presidents and highly placed national figures as well as the celebration of Independence Day anniversaries.

This year’s annual fund raising dinner and dance organised by the Ghana Union – UK was therefore scaled as very urgent regarding the need for the centre.

High level of interest was exhibited by the Ghana Mission whose head, Professor Danso-Boafo did create moments of astonishment by his announcement of 20 thousand Pound Sterling as the government’s contribution towards the project.

He also exhibited high sense of patriotism by leading all the gathering with a display of skills in dancing to Ghanaian highlife tunes towards the collecting box where he personally donated an undisclosed amount.

A source close to the Envoy hinted that the amount was huge but he did not want it made public, “he only wanted to whip up the giving-spirit of the community to donate more towards the project which is dear to the government of Ghana and to him personally.”

Other donations came from Ghanaian associations in the UK, foreign missions like the Nigerian and Sierra Leonean High Commissions in the UK as well as some other high profiled Ghanaians such as the Former Security Minister in the last administration, Mr. Francis Opoku and Dr Emmanuel Akufo, a retired surgeon..

Cadbury Chocolate and Brussels Airline were among other corporate bodies that contributed to the night’s event.

Professor Danso-Boafo observed that the need for such a facility in the Ghanaian Community was long overdue. This according to him, is viewed from the size, vibrancy as well as contribution by the community to the UK.

He was of the view that apart from providing comfort and privacy to the community, the facility could also be used to house a library and other recreational facilities in promoting Ghanaian culture and values especially among the youth.

He said the Mission has observed with concern the lack of the facility in the community and will therefore do all it could in helping to acquire one.

The High Commissioner re-iterated that the main goals of the Mission are to promote Ghana in the UK and seek the welfare of its citizens. This, according to him will continue to be pursued until the aspirations of most of the people are met.

“Your worse days with us as the current officials of the Mission will be like your best days with the previous ones.” He noted with much confidence.

“There might be some human errors on our part and we would urge you to give us feed back of our rights and wrongs for improvement.” He requested.

Professor Danso-Boafo also cautioned the community against discourteous behaviour towards staff adding that as much as he will not tolerate any bad-mannered service from any member of staff towards community members, he will also not entertain disrespectfulness from the community towards staff.

The Chairman of the Ghana Union UK, Mr. Kwame Adu, said the acquisition of a community centre will facilitate the unity of Ghanaians in the UK which is a prerequisite for national development.