Ghanaians in Washington DC Metro area celebrate Ghana @66

Ghanaians from all walks of life in the Washington DC metro area, under the auspices of the Council for Ghanaian Associations of Washington DC(COGA)celebrated the Independence Day of Ghana at the plush Holiday Inn Express at College Park Maryland on Saturday March 11, 2023.

This being the first time of having this event after the pandemic, members of the following associations; Asante Kotoko, Asanteman, Brong Ahafo Association, Ebusua Association, Ewe Association of Washington DC, Ga-Adangbe, Okyeman Kuo, and Kwahu Association, could not help but turn out in their numbers for a joyous occasion.

In his welcome address, the chair for the occasion, Nana Agyenim Boateng, thanked the associations for making it to the event. He also called for a strong bond of relation among the associations so that we can forge ahead as a unit for the development of our motherland. He thanked the event sponsors, TapSend and GoldStar airlines for their support for such noble cause.

The chairman of COGA, Mr. Henry Adu, drew attention to what COGA has been doing over the years. In 2016, COGA donated various food items valued at over $1,500 (One thousand five hundred dollars) and additional cash donation of $1,000 (one thousand dollars) to the Eye of the Lord Day Care Center and Orphanage at Otoase, near Nsawam in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

The following year COGA adopted the eradication of “Schools Under Trees” as a project for funding and other assistance. COGA donated $5,000 (Five thousand dollars) in 2018, to support the reconstruction and eradication of “Schools Under Trees” in four regions selected by COGA member organizations.

In 2019. COGA donated $3,000 (Three thousand dollars) to support and eradicate Schools Under Trees in three additional schools in Ghana. When the pandemic came, COGA donated $5,000 (Five thousand dollars) in 2020 to Ghana
COVID-19 fund through the Ghana Embassy Washington D C. COGA in all its activities has been doing what it can to help in whatever way it can to support development efforts in Ghana.

The chairman called on all Ghanaians and other Ghanaian associations in the Metro area to join COGA in this noble crusade.

The guest of honor for the event, Mr. Francis Gborglah, the Head of Chancery, who deputized for the ambassador congratulated COGA for the organization of the event He noted that it has always been the desire of the embassy to work with Ghanaian organizations like COGA to uplift the standard of living for our people. He noted that Ghanaians have been supportive of the economy through their remittances back home. In this direction, government created an office
for those in the diaspora and this office reports directly to the president of the republic.

The hard work being done by Ghanaians overseas influenced the celebrations of the year of return and beyond the return. Mr. Gborglah called on all to close ranks and pull their resources together to help develop our homeland.

The highlight of the evening’s event was the regional dances which called for a particular music akin to that region being played and all the people of the region joining to dance to their tunes. Most of the regions had others joining as a result of inter marriage, birth or both.

Our traditional rulers were not left out of the celebration. The following chiefs and queen mothers were present at the event; Nana Ampem Darko, Nana Tracey Boafowaa, Torgbui Henyo Aglasu II of Aflao border/Batome, Mamaga Agbobrah II, paramount queen mother of Sokode traditional area, and Nana Aduanaba.
The MCs for the evening were the indefatigable Koomson (Owor) and irrepressible William Adzimahe.

Slim Jams was the disk jockey for the night, and he rocked the house with music
from days before independence, post-independence and to present time. We are all looking forward to Ghana @ 67.