Don't feel superior - Kwesi Botchwey to returnee experts

Dr Kwesi Botchwey, former Minister of Finance, has said it is only with humility that Ghanaians, who have acquired skills in America and Europe, can properly integrate themselves on their return home.

Speaking at the launch of the Ghana Skills Bank at the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC, Dr Botchwey said some professional Ghanaians, who have worked abroad tend to portray a superior complex on their return home and invariably clash with their colleagues whose sacrifices, sustained the economy. The former minister could have added that these colleagues also suffered the ravages of dictatorships and bad governance.

He said the development of Ghana should be a burden for all to bear and not just a few. In a highly patriotic turn of phrase, the man credited with bringing some respectability to the economy under the PNDC and first term of the NDC, had sympathetic words for the NPP government. He said the government of President Kufuor is doing its best and it was left to the professionals to be humble and contribute their quota and stop being pessimists. Dr Botchwey, currently a Senior Fellow at Columbia University in the US left the NDC government in 1995 under very acrimonious circumstances. The full story has not yet been told but it was widely believed that it was as a result of fundamental differences between him and Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, former Chief Executive of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). Mr. Tsikata's financial transactions at GNPC were thought to be having a negative impact on the economy but enjoyed the support of Rawlings.

With the change of government in 2001, Dr. Botchwey has been engaged on a number of international advocacy activities for his homeland. He is also reputed to be enjoying a fairly cosy relationship with the new administration.

About 400 professional Ghanaians travelled from all over the United States for the launching ceremony where Dr. Botchwey made the call on returnee professionals.

The Washington meeting would spearhead the collation of data on Ghanaian professionals living abroad into the first ever Ghana Skills Bank. The bank, which is a web-enabled interactive service aims at storing data on the professional qualifications and experiences of Ghanaians abroad. It would primarily store the details of the professionals from around the world and act as database for the government of Ghana, its missions abroad, international financial institutions and development agencies to facilitate the execution of projects.

The Bank would feature a personality of the month at its website to bring out the varied talents of the country. Ghana's Ambassador to the US, Mr Alan Kyerematen is Chairman of the Board with Mr Ivor Agyeman-Duah, Minister Counsellor of Information at the embassy as the Project Director.

President John Agyekum Kufuor and Mr Kofi Annan UN Secretary General sent congratulatory messages on the launching of the Bank. President Kufuor said, "The development of Ghana could only be accelerated with the humble application of skills of Ghanaians who are willing to share with their colleagues at home".

Mr Annan said, "It is clear that the effective international partnerships aimed at promoting sustainable development while improving governance, rule of law, regulatory systems, investment and management in Africa require the full engagement of African talent, both on the continent and from abroad".

Dr Vincent Anku, a Leading Specialist on cancer treatment in the US and a member of the prestigious Cosmos Club was among five eminent persons featured on the day of the launch.

Dr Anku is the Founder and director of the Cleveland Cancer Institute. He has invested over five million dollars in the Ghanaian economy and is setting up what may be the premier Cancer Institute in Africa in Ghana. Another Ghanaian, Dr Dotsevi Yao Sogah, Professor at Cornell University was also featured. He invented the Process for Preparing Living Polymers, which was hailed as the invention of the century. Others were Dr Kwame Boakye, Vice-President of Technology Planning for AT & T and Consultant on Information Technology, New Emerging Technologies and Development and Strategic Planning for some UN Agencies; Mr Anthony Kwame Appiah, a world leading authority on ethics and identity of Philosophy and Co-Editor of the "African Dictionary" and Dr Kwaku Ohene-Frempong a world leading authority on the sickle cell disease.