7-Member ‘Beyond the Return’ committee inaugurated
A Beyond the Return Steering Committee was inaugurated at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday.
The committee is charged with the responsibility to design and implement effective strategies to boost trade and investment cooperation and skills and technology transfer between Ghana and the African Diaspora to achieve the objectives of the initiative.
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The members are also tasked to promote tourism to attract people, including Africans in the Diaspora, to the country for mutual benefit.
Members
The committee is co-chaired by the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, and his colleague at the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, Dr Ibrahim Awal.
Other members are the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta; the Head of Diasporan Affairs, Office of the President, Mr Akwasi Awua Ababio; the Regional Commander for the Ghana Immigration Service at the Kotoka International Airport, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI), Edith Penelope Arhin; a representative of the Ghana Tourism Federation, Mrs Stella Appenteng, and a representative of PANAFEST, Prof. Esi Sutherland Addy.
The rest are the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Mr Yofi Grant; the CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr Akwasi Agyeman; a private sector representative, Mr Kwame Acheampong Boateng; a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mrs Worwornyo Agyeman; a representative of the Ministry of the Interior, Mr Dominic Afriyie Agyemang; a representative of the GTA, yet to be determined, as well as representatives of Media Majique and the Diasporan Coalition, Mr Reginald Laryea and Rabbi Kohain, respectively.
Inauguration
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who inaugurated the committee, recalled how, in August 2018, he had proclaimed before the Congressional Black Caucus of the United States (US) Congress that 2019 was the Year of Return to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first 20 West African slaves being sent to the Commonwealth of Virginia, which subsequently became part of the United States of America (USA).
He described the incident as one of the “most unfortunate and barbaric episodes of human history, known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade”.
The President said the event received considerable media coverage globally and resulted in the visit of some 1.1 million people to Ghana, the highest international tourism arrivals recorded in the country in recent times.
He said the next stage was to intensify engagement with Africans in the Diaspora and all people of African descent in areas such as investment, cooperation and skills and knowledge development.
He said Beyond the Return was a 10-year initiative built on seven pillars: Experience Ghana, Pan African Heritage and Innovation, Invest in Ghana, Diasporan Pathway to Ghana, Ghana Back Ghana, Celebrate Ghana and Brand Ghana.
Impact of COVID-19
The President said the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had had a negative impact on the Beyond the Return agenda, but expressed the hope that with the global effort to combat the pandemic through vaccination and the adoption of safety protocols, tourism was set to bounce back.
He said Ghana had the required unique selling points to attract more tourists and mentioned the warmth of the people, the country being at the centre of the world, its rich and diversified cultural and tourist assets and the fact that it was ranked among the most peaceful and stable countries in West Africa.
Minister eulogises President
For his part, Dr Awal said apart from those selling points, Ghana was also blessed to have a President whose voice went very far, such that anytime he spoke, investors, policy makers and the corporate world listened.
He said his outfit had, therefore, decided to confer the title ‘Global Tourism Icon’ on the President to help fast-track the process of making tourism the number one foreign exchange earner for the country.