[BY PAUL EJIME] President John Dramani Mahama in a State of the Nation address to mark Ghana’s 59th independence anniversary on 6th March 2016 made two important pronouncements with foreign relations implications. The first was his government’s plan to improve the knowledge and usage of French language in Anglophone Ghana, which is surrounded by French speaking nations. The advantages of this strategic initiative if effectively implemented are many.
President John Dramani Mahama in a State of the Nation address to mark Ghana’s 59th independence anniversary on 6th March 2016 made two important pronouncements with foreign relations implications. The first was his government’s plan to improve the knowledge and usage of French language in Anglophone Ghana, which is surrounded by French speaking nations. The advantages of this strategic initiative if effectively implemented are many.
Ghana President John Mahama
The second policy statement of international import, but which almost escaped media attention is that, starting next July citizens of the other 53 Member States of the African Union (AU) can “obtain visas on arrival (in Ghana) with the option of staying for up to 30 days.” President Mahama expects this measure to stimulate air travel, trade, investment and tourism in Ghana which, like many other African countries is going through a difficult economic patch.
Historically, this should not be a big deal in Africa that prides itself as the Land of Hospitality, where the people are their brother’s and sister’s keeper. In fact, Ghana’s independence President Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, had boasted on 6th March 1957 when the then Gold Coast became independent Ghana that “…our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the African continent.”
To his credit, under Nkrumah and until his overthrow in the coup of 24 February 1966, Ghana granted visa exemptions to "persons of African descent" born in the neighbouring West African countries, and members of the Casablanca Group - Guinea, Tunisia, Mali, United Arab Republic, Morocco and Algeria - which along with the Liberia Group, formed the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, with the Pan-Africanist Ghanaian leader playing a leading role. In his 1961 book, I Speak of Freedom, Nkrumah had also expressed the hope that: …the African race, united under one federal government, will emerge not as just another world bloc to flaunt its wealth and strength, but as a Great Power whose greatness is indestructible because it is built not on fear, envy and suspicion, nor won at the expense of others, but founded on hope, trust, friendship and directed to the good of all mankind.”
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The Land of Hospitality? Africa? The people are their brothers and sisters keeper? Ghana's elite got rid of Nkrumah and became a pawn of the West. Africans from the Diaspora have repatriated to Ghana and guess what? After over 45 years of building clinics, schools, and businesses employing native Ghanaians, those Africans from the Diaspora cannot enjoy dual citizenship, like Jews who have repatriated to the State of Israel.
What is wrong with this picture? What happened to Africa being "the Land of Hospitality"? Is Ghana truly independent and free? Or is it simply involved in today's Neo-Colonialism or rule from a distance? Unless and until Ghana deals with this glaring inequity she will never progress and will always be under the thumb of the West.
Shalom family.
Well put, but the West is under the thumb of the Illuminati and the Vatican. Barack Obama is just as much a puppet as are any leaders of African nations, not the least of which is Ghana.
I have a new supporter of my work who I met here in England who was born in Ghana. We started chatting, and he was so enthralled by what I said that he is now in my Address Book. See what he likes so much by logging onto http://www.truedemocracy.net and clicking on the icon that says Magazine. Check out the two blogs too. They are on the main page of my site.
Peace,
Arlene Johnson
Publisher/Author
Notice that none of the many strategic initiative advantages are listed. The French speaking countries are the poorest and can't help boost the economic growth. France has the worst track record of dealing with Afrikans countries. They still collect colonial tax on the Afrikan speaking french speaking countries. The masses of Ghanian people have a difficult time with English. Some high ranking public school officials have called to use Twi as the means of instruction in class work. Now Mahamas wants to dump another foreign language on them to further confuse. This takes time away from the more important disciplines, as science , math, chemistry, that will push us into technology. Foreign companies are there doing this work now. Why can't Black Afrikans do for self. The public school curriculum does not empower the youth , rather retard them. ECOWAS was to serve the same purpose of trade,investment and tourism. But be careful of the trojan horse here. One that could invite terrorism and social unrest. between ethnic groups. These leaders alway mention Nkrumah when they want to push some new world order plan into effect. They use the A.U. in the same way. Mahama is no Pan-Afrikan leader(Nkrumah), just another patsy for foreign powers, NATO , and any Cooperation that will enrich him and his family.(Black elite)=(House Niggas)