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Over 1,000 Africans in the Diaspora
witnessed Ghana's 50th anniversary
Accra, March 20, GNA - Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of
Tourism and Diasporan Relations, on Tuesday said over 1,000
Africans in the Diaspora came to Ghana to witness the 50th
independence anniversary celebrations.
Speaking when the National Association of Black Social
Workers paid a courtesy call on him, the Minister expressed
the hope that Ghanaians would do their best to let visitors
from the Diaspora feel at home, especially at a time when
the country was preparing for the launch of the "Joseph
Project" on August 1.
The Joseph Project is an initiative by the Ministry to
attract over one million tourists to Ghana by the end of the
year.
The Association of Black Social Workers is organizing a trip
to Ghana for the 33rd International Education Conference
scheduled from July 29 to August 7, 2007.
The Association would also participate in the celebration of
Emancipation and join the Ministry to Elmina where the
Joseph Project would be launched.
The Minister said there was an urgent need to teach
Ghanaians that Africans in the Diaspora were our kith and
kin who were taken from us and were coming back home He
noted that the Joseph Project's website had already had over
100,000 hits in less than three months of operation and
urged the private tourism sector to be active to get the
industry thriving.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey also expressed the hope that by next
year there would be significant improvement in hotels to
accommodate large numbers of tourists who would visit the
country.
Ms Grace Minter, Conference Coordinator, said her group was
bringing about 100 people for the conference and will also
participate in the Emancipation celebration.
She said more people in the United States of America had
expressed interest to come to Ghana but airlines plying USA
direct to Ghana had been fully booked.
"The group was given just 100 seats on North American
Airlines and people are even trying to pay more but there
are no seats," Ms Minter said.
She said Ghana had been chosen a third time for the
conference because of the commemoration of the 200th
anniversary of the abolition of slave trade this year.
Ms Minister said 2007 also marked the 100th year of Negro
National Anthem, "Lift every Voice and Sing," in addition to
the fact that coming to Ghana gave African Americans an
opportunity to learn more about Africa.
She expressed belief that many slaves taken from Africa to
the Diaspora passed though Ghana, saying, "coming to Ghana
means coming back home".
GNA
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