Government serious about African unity

Elmina (C/R), May 3, GNA - Government is taking seriously the business of reuniting Africans all over the world hence the creation of the Diasporan Relations in tandem with the Tourism Ministry, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relation announced on Wednesday. He said there was the need for Africans to harness the wealth of their Continent to their benefit rather than allowing foreigners to exploit them.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey was speaking at a durbar organized to demonstrate the rich Ghanaian culture to delegates participating in the ongoing African Travel Association (ATA) Congress, which has attracted more than 14 African countries.

The ATA, a United States-based international travel industry association for Africa, was established in 1957 to promote tourism in Africa and has membership from African governments' tourism organizations, international airlines, hotels and tour operators. It also holds annual congresses and trade shows at selected African destinations and the US to provide first-hand information to enable members to share their experiences.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said there was an urgent need to reunite all children of mother Africa and Ghana was the gateway.

"Africans have tilled the land of others for too long, it is time we till our own land," the Minister said and called on Africans in the Diaspora to invest in African countries.

Mr Kabinga Pance, President of ATA, urged Africans to learn more about one another and noted that they could know themselves better through meetings such as the ATA Congress Mr Pance, who is also the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism of the Republic of Zambia, said ATA had a global focus in creating linkages among tourism industries in Africa and the United States. Osabarima Kwesi Atta, Paramount Chief of Cape Coast, noted that the culture of tourism had not been part of Africans as a people hence the need for organizations such as the ATA to create linkages among people of African descent.

He called on the various governments to work towards the strengthening of Africa Union (AU).