Dubai: Ghanaian expatriates in the UAE have been urged to continue to help their country develop “beyond aid” as they marked their country’s 61st Independence Day on Thursday.
The Republic of Ghana celebrates its independence from British colonial rule of over one century every March 6.
Ghana has been traditionally recognised as a leader in African democracy and development after it became the first sub-Saharan country to gain independence in 1957.
In Dubai, the community gathered on Thursday night for a diplomatic reception with the theme ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ organised by the consulate-general, established in the emirate in 2011.
Dr Abdullah Mohammad Bel Haif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development, attended the ceremony along with members of the diplomatic corps.
During the ceremony, Consul-General Samata Gifty Bukari encouraged her compatriots to continue their positive contributions to their country through direct or indirect investments.
“Ghanaians in the UAE are helping their country a lot because as they are here, they remit to their relatives back home [which helps boost the economy]. My message to them is to collectively help the government to develop ‘Ghana beyond aid’ because it hasn’t helped us much in any way since independence,” Bukari told Gulf News.
There are an estimated 4,500 Ghanaians in the UAE working in different sectors such as health care, education, construction, sales, among others.
Bukari said Ghanaians can also help with the knowledge transfer as they further their work experience in Dubai and implement it at home when they retire from overseas work.
Bukari said through her compatriots’ contributions and the government’s resolve to rise from its past, Ghana will be at par with the rest of the developed world, much like Dubai.
“In the future when they get home, they are going into another Dubai. They will not see any difference in development and infrastructure. They leave Dubai where everything is developed and will come home to a country that is also developed. That is why we want them to help their country.”
As for the bilateral relations between the UAE and Ghana, Bukari said they are very cordial.
“The consulate was established in 2011 and since then the bilateral relations have been very good. As a result, just this year, the Government of Ghana established an embassy in Abu Dhabi to add to the consulate here.”
Bukari said trade volumes between the two countries are not significant yet but she hopes to strengthen trade between the UAE and Ghana, particularly the agricultural sector.
She also hopes to project Ghana as an industrial hub and gateway for trade and investment “because of its political stability and strategic location in West Africa with easy access to African markets that have a population of about 400 million people”.
