Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams, Minister for Sports and Recreation, has held an important meeting with the Ghanaian community resident in The Gambia. The engagement followed his participation at the opening ceremony of the AIPS Africa Conference in Banjul.
The meeting was facilitated by His Excellency Dr. Felix Kumah Godwin Anebo, Ghana’s Ambassador to Senegal, who also holds oversight responsibility for The Gambia. Ambassador Anebo led the community representatives in expressing great pride in the positive contributions of Ghanaian nationals to The Gambia’s economy.
They noted that Ghanaians have successfully established themselves in various sectors, including running academies and other business ventures.
During the discussions, the community presented several pressing concerns affecting their welfare. They appealed to the Government to speed up the processes for finalizing important bilateral agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) between Ghana and The Gambia.
These agreements, they stressed, are crucial for improving their overall living and working conditions.
Specific challenges highlighted included the high cost of obtaining work permits in The Gambia, persistent difficulties encountered when renewing their Ghanaian travel passports, and issues related to the acquisition of the Ghana Card. The community emphasized that these administrative and financial hurdles directly impact their well-being and require urgent attention and redress.
They therefore made a direct appeal to Hon. Kofi Adams to assist in finding lasting solutions, noting that the welfare of Ghanaians abroad is fundamental to strengthening the strong relations between Ghana and The Gambia.
In his response, Minister Adams expressed sincere appreciation for the commendable efforts and positive impact of Ghanaians in The Gambia. He acknowledged their active role in creating jobs and contributing to the economy. The Minister also called for continued unity, brotherhood, and mutual support among Ghanaians living outside their home country.
Hon. Adams further took the opportunity to brief the community on the Ghana’s Government’s ongoing developmental programs.
He outlined interventions aimed at transforming the economy and accelerating progress across all sectors.
Providing assurance, the Minister pledged to immediately channel the community’s concerns to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. He promised to advocate for prompt action to be taken towards finding sustainable solutions to the issues raised.
This interaction proves the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic and community ties between Ghana and its citizens abroad. It reflects a shared commitment to addressing practical challenges faced by diaspora communities, with the aim of improving the welfare of Ghanaians living in The Gambia.