Ghanaians return home for summit

Organisers of next week's homecoming summit on Wednesday called on residents to give of their best in welcoming expatriate Ghanaians who will be arriving for the special three-day event.

"Once again we should let the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality be at play as we welcome our kinsmen to their motherland," Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Chairman of the summit planning committee said at a media briefing in Accra.

The summit, scheduled to open in Accra on July 23 to 25, seeks to renew confidence of citizens living abroad in their country.

It is on the theme: "Harnessing the global Ghanaian resource potential for accelerated national development" with the slogan: "Motherland call, together, we create the nation's wealth."

"It is to enhance dialogue and explore opportunities for productive relations between Ghanaians living abroad and their country, and to identify the means to tap into the capacities they acquired abroad for the creation of the national wealth," said Mr Asamoah-Boateng.

At least 500 Ghanaians living abroad are expected to arrive in Accra by the weekend for the summit, being organised by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) in conjunction with some allied institutions.

Official records show that Ghanaians abroad informally contribute between 300 and 400 million dollars annually to the economy back home, making the group the country's fourth highest foreign exchange source.

He said a firm decision has yet to be taken on whether Homecoming should remain an annual event.

However, the event is not for expatriate Ghanaians only but residents as well.

According to the programme, President John Agyekum Kufuor will open the summit on Monday at 10 a.m. at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Summit workshop issues will focus on optimising economic opportunities in Finance, Export Trade, Agribusiness, Agro-processing, Manufacturing, Transport and Tourism.

Other areas are Information and Communication Technology, Science, Technology, Environment, Education, Health and Culture.

There will be exhibitions and industrial visits as well as cultural, entertainment and recreational programmes.