Homecoming Summit offers a good opportunity - Annan

Mr Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General on Monday said the Homecoming Summit in Ghana offers an excellent opportunity for expatriate Ghanaians to join hands with compatriots at home to seek new ways to advance the country's development.

The summit would also ensure that education and health are improved for the next generation of Ghanaians, he said in a message read by Mr Alfred Salia Fawundu, UN Resident Coordinator.

"Every Ghanaian has a role to play in making the country stronger, better and more prosperous in the future," he said at the opening of the three-day meeting at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Mr Annan said the landmark summit would bring together Ghanaians from every part of the world, from different backgrounds and professions, all of them sharing a common bond and special sense of belonging to Ghana.

Mr Dan Boakye Agyemang, a lawyer in California, US, said the summit is an opportunity for them to dialogue with their compatriots and government about moving the country forward since most Ghanaians abroad have acquired vast experience, resources and contacts that could and would be brought to bear on national development efforts.

He said their message is one of high hope and confidence - hopeful about the country's future and confident that with positive contributions from everyone, positive changes would be made to propel the nation ahead in development.

Mr Agyemang appealed to the government to review some aspects of the Dual Citizenship Law, which makes Ghanaians abroad second-class citizens. He also called for improvement in the relationship between Ghanaian Embassies and the citizens and appointment of honorary consulates in specific cities that are potential sources of investment capital or have large Ghanaian populations.

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Executive Chairman of Databank, who spoke on behalf of Ghanaians who have returned home, was given a standing ovation after his message.

He said the nation was in crisis and no one could re-build it except Ghanaians, including the over three million of them abroad who represent about 15 per cent of the population. This group makes official and un-official remittances of about 400 million dollars annually, which is equivalent to about 25 per cent of annual exports and the third largest foreign exchange earner after gold and cocoa.

Mr Ofori-Atta said Ghana has a destiny with greatness - not one of squalor, poverty, illiteracy and moral decay, but one of peace, prosperity and progress.

He urged them to be willing to endure setbacks, risks and hardships; be willing to sacrifice to pay the price for national greatness and to regain leadership in Africa.