On this day, the 57th anniversary of Ghana’s independence, I salute the leaders, the Chiefs and Queenmothers, the elders, church leaders, businessmen and women and all members of the Ghanaian community. I applaud everyone for the hard work in making this community, the Ghanaian community in Chicago, a great and enjoyable one, and a unique one too.

I also invoke the memory of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the leaders of the Gold Coast in 1957, for their hard work and dedication and resilience in the fight for Independence from the British.

On this day we should all be proud to be Ghanaians. As we celebrate Ghana’s independence, those of us in the Diaspora should not forget that we are first and foremost Ghanaians before we break into our various ethnic groups and we should celebrate in unity and with a common goal of coming together to move this community ahead.

Together we should educate our children, together we should care for our seniors, together we should help our businesses prosper, and together we should help create an atmosphere of harmony in the community. I believe we can and we should. Let us not forget the hospitality we offer foreigners who visit or travel to stay in Ghana and offer the same hospitality to each other and to those we meet while living in the Diaspora.

It is with great honor, humility and excitement that I take the seat of the Presidency of the Ghana National Council and to head the Ghanaian community. Going forward, this new administration plans to change the Ghana National Council of Metropolitan Chicago from an event-based organization that it has been the past few years to the community organization that it should be. The administration is introducing programs like youth trips, youth night, senior night and senior cruises.

The administration is also introducing a scholarship program for college-bound Ghanaians in the community. There will be a health day, where health professionals will offer free screenings and check-ups, and a back-to-school day where back packs and school materials would be given free to students in the community. The Ghana National Council has also partnered with the organization everyoneon.org to make internet affordable to every home. This means internet of less than $10.00 a month.

In the next few months the administration will form a committee for a Ghana House/Ghana Cultural Center project. The Ghanaian community is probably one of the few communities that do not have a community center. With the community center members of the Ghanaian community do not have to go out and rent space for events.

As you might all be aware every year the Ghana National Council organizes an Independence dinner/dance on the Saturday following Ghana’s independence day. For my executives and I Ghana’s independence celebration is a time when members from all sectors of the community come together to celebrate Ghana’s independence. We believe it should not cost any member of the community a ticket price of not more than $40.00 to participate in the celebration.

The independence dinner/dance should be affordable for all members of the community and a ticket price of $75.00 or more defeats the purpose of the independence celebration. Due to lack of funds the Ghana National Council reluctantly decided to cancel this year’s formal independence celebration.

A process that normally starts in November of the previous year regardless if there is an election was never started. The problem was exacerbated by a problem in the handing-over process between the old and new administration. On behalf of my administration I would like to apologize to everyone for the cancellation of this important dinner/dance.

In conclusion I will like to invite all Ghanaians in the Chicago metropolitan area to join this administration in moving this community forward. We welcome your suggestions and advice and any constructive criticisms.

Thank you and may God bless the Chicago Ghanaian community and Ghana.