Ms. Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has underscored the importance of the diaspora engagement in the country’s accelerated development.

To this end, she has called for closer engagement between the diaspora and the Ghanaian Missions closer to them, in order to benefit from their rich expertise in various fields and for effective migration management and national development planning.

The Minister, who was attending the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, took advantage of her presence to meet with the diaspora to dialogue, explain various development activities at home and to address some of their concerns.

Explaining the significance of the meeting held at the Ghana Mission, and attended by Ghanaian Lawyers in North America, the United Nations Social Recreation Club, (UNSRC) an association of Ghanaians working with UN ,other professional bodies and Ghanaian groups, Ms.Tetteh said it was to brief them about what government is doing and to seek their inputs, considering their “real ties to Ghana”.

During the interaction, the Minister also briefed them on the challenges in the energy sector, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, the falling water levels of the Akosombo and Bui dams and the various interventions by the government to address them.

Mrs. Patience Stevens, president of the UNSRC asked all Ghanaians to always put aside their political biases during their discussions on national issues in order to always get the best for the country.

In his contribution, Professor Victor Essien, a legal luminary and chair of the Council of Ghanaian Associations in New York said Ghanaians abroad apart from sending regular donations home, want to vote during national elections in order to concretize their sense of belonging, and by doing have a stake in whoever becomes their leaders.

To actualize this dream, he asked the Electoral Commission to fast-track the Legislative Instrument that will give effect to this desire to vote.

Earlier, Ambassador Ama Akyaa Pobee, Permanent Representative to the United Nations said that the diaspora engagement was very dear to the Ghana government that was why for the first time, a bureau has been established within the Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Ministry solely for that purpose.

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Contributing, Mr.Emmanuel Enos, Director of the Diaspora Affairs Bureau explained that the essence of the bureau is to engage the diaspora for effective communication flow, build trust through conversation, listen to them and to have a baseline for national development.