Accra, Jan. 20, GNA – The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) has called on the diaspora community to save and invest massively in Ghana for rapid socio-economic development.
Mr Yaw Amoaten Afriyie, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, said such investment moves would not only support the development of the country in a structured manner but would advance all sectors of the economy through entrepreneurship and innovation.
“Ghana is indeed opened for business and investment, and we extend an invitation to the members of the Diaspora, commercial partners to grow in Ghana and with Ghana,” he said.
Mr Afriyie, speaking at the launch of the 2022 Black History Festival (BHF) being organised by YALI TV, said with the launched of the Year of Return in 2019, the Centre would continue to welcome members of the Diaspora to Ghana and the continent at large to exchange knowledge, experiences and to establish trade and investment links.
YALI TV, a media platform created to tell the stories of young Africans making impact across the continent, is hosting the Black History Festival in collaboration with the AU Mission from to the United States, Department of State, Office of the Mayor of Washington DC, and the Jacobs Abbey Global Institute of Leadership Studies (USA), from February 21 – 27, 2022 in Washington DC, United States of America.
He said the Diaspora Investment Desk of the GIPC, established in 2020, was a vehicle through, which the Centre drove Diaspora engagements and programmes to harness the potential and power of the Diaspora to augument Ghana’s socio-economic development objectives.
He said principally the desk was tasked to engage and mobilise the Diaspora to invest in the country and to carry out such engagements locally and internationally in collaboration with its stakeholders and partners.
The Deputy CEO said the Month of February was dedicated to celebrating the immense contribution of the Diaspora communities with diverse cultural and arts programmes and several national wide activities.
The Black History Festival, he said, would among other things, showcase the best of the country’s culture – fashion and arts – through the Made-In-Ghana Expo, and the promotion of other developmental agendas, including the African Continental Free Trade Area to accelerate trade and investment for the growth and development of the country and the continent.
He said the initiative presented a unique opportunity for GIPC to engage the African Diaspora business community to harnessing partnership and increasing Diaspora direct investment to the country and the continent.
Madam Hilda Suka-Mafudze, Permanent Representative of the African Union to the USA, speaking remotely, said the celebration of the Black History Month was very significant because it united blacks globally to educate themselves about black history, heritage, and culture.
Mr Stephen Selasi Asuo, Lead Coordinator, Black History Festival said the festival was a special initiative dedicated to the celebration of the strong ties between the government of the United States of America and the African Union member states.
He noted that it was a unique opportunity for stakeholders to have a common platform to commemorate the heritage arts, culture, trade, leadership, and innovation of Africa in the history of the USA.
Mr Asuo, also the General Manager of YALI TV, said the overarching objective of the Festival was to further strengthen those existing ties, build bridges, and align the interest of people of African descent in America and on the continent.
GNA