President and Chairman of Groupe Nduom (GN), Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, has bemoaned the situation where Ghanaians in the diaspora are neglected in the governance system “just because they have acquired foreign citizenships.”
This, he stressed, does not help in nation building.
Dr. Nduom made the observation on Ghana, Great and Strong, a non-partisan interactive programme broadcast every Saturday from 7:00 p.m.,–8:00 p.m., on media outlets spread across the country.
Speaking on the topic: “A View of Ghana at 60 From Abroad,” Dr. Nduom called on Ghanaians all over the world to come home and help build the country.
“It is my wish that we make it possible for a lot of them to come to Ghana and contribute their quota. Are we saying that if you are a Ghanaian and you go to America and for whatever reason you get an American citizenship and you want to come back to Ghana, because you have gone abroad and changed your citizenship there are certain jobs you cannot hold in Ghana?,” he asked.
The President of GN could not understand why when it comes to the issue of football, the authorities go globe-trotting for Ghanaians who are not born in Ghana to come and feature for the national teams.
“What is more competitive in Ghana than football? Let’s bring these experienced people back home to help our country develop and not America, Britain or Germany,” he submitted.
In his opinion, Ghanaians in the diaspora should not be driven away because “they have acquired another citizenship status and therefore should be abandoned.”
He indicated that Ghanaians abroad who have wealth of knowledge and experience should be brought on board for the development of the nation.
“The ROPAL must work for them. If they can vote here more of their monies will come, their experience will also come and let’s make it possible to ensure that they get high level jobs in Ghana so they can bring their experience here, and we will benefit as well as government and businesses,” he said.
Dr. Nduom was equally worried that the country has become so polarised. That development, he said, has been the bane of “our economic woes.”
In response to a caller that he [Dr. Nduom] should be given Central Region to manage, this was what he said: “I have spoken privately with some people that I will love to have the opportunity to be given KEEA for four years so that I can show Ghanaians what a municipality can become.”
Also touching on Ghana’s infrastructure, the business magnate was not happy with the kind of public buildings that Ghanaians put up.
Comparing buildings in the State of Georgia and the City of Chicago in the United States of America to that of Ghana, he said public buildings in these two States were built by men like Ghanaians but “they know quality, they know how to build to last.”
“…so at 60 years what are we going to do? Looking at the buildings we have they are falling apart as if somebody is playing with them. But we need buildings that our children and grandchildren will be proud to come and say this is what our elders did for us.”
“I hope somebody will hear me and decide that they will do something about it…and even if I cannot do it somebody else will get the motivation to do something different to help this country that we call Ghana,” he said.
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