President Akufo-Addo Meets Ghanaian Community in Rwanda

By Julius Bizimungu

Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo arrived in Kigali on Thursday and met the Ghanaian community in Rwanda that included people who are engaged in different work activities as well as students.

Akufo-Addo is in Kigali to attend the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) being held under the theme "Lead, Measure, Grow: Enabling new pathways to turn smallholders into sustainable agribusinesses."

The President met with Ghanaians who are engaged in professional services, business and trade as well as public service in Rwanda.

Akufo-Addo said he was in Rwanda at the invitation of President Paul Kagame, and that he had just left China where he was attending the Forum of China-Africa Co-operation.

President Kagame, who is also the current chairperson of the African Union, was also in China for the Summit.

He emphasised that China, being the biggest trading partner to Ghana at an estimated USD7 billion worth of trade volume, is something that Ghanaians should attach more importance to.

"It was also important for me to be in China as recognition of importance that we attach to this relationship, and the possibilities that this relationship has for contributing to the growth of the Ghanaian economy," he said.

The President told the community that Ghana signed about USD2 billion to finance different projects. But he said the success of all the projects will depend on the people.

"However, my vision which I keep repeating is that we want to build Ghana beyond aid," he noted.

Akufo-Addo interacts with some of Ghanaians in Rwanda.

This is his second visit to Rwanda after the recent one on which he was part of more than 40 leaders who met in Kigali to sign the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He reminded the participants that Ghana was among the first countries to deposit the instruments of ratification of the agreement at the AU commission behind Kenya.

"We believe that the establishment of the continental free trade area is one of the most important keys for the future prosperity of our continent," he noted.

The President reiterated his vision and communicated his latest agenda to the Ghanaian community in Rwanda, among which he said was to strengthen Ghana's banking system and making primary and secondary education compulsory in his country.

"You may have heard already that I am working my way towards being able to propose to the parliament, before the end of my mandate in 2020, a law that will make education in Ghana from kindergarten to the end of secondary high school compulsory," he noted

He added that if Ghana is able to develop human capital, the sky will be the limit for the country.

Some of the members of the Ghanaian community in Rwanda follow proceedings in Kigali. (Julius Bizimungu)

According to Denis Karera, the honorary consul of Ghana in Rwanda, the meeting of Akufo-Addo with Ghanaians in Rwanda reflects the importance he has for the people.

He highlighted that there were currently close to 60 Ghanaians in the country working in various sectors, and that the exchanges between the two countries have been growing significantly.

Meanwhile, Akufo-Addo will address about 2,000 delegates from across Africa and the world attending the 8th edition of the African Green Revolution Forum whose discussions are centered on how to transform agriculture on the continent.

He stated that Ghana has a link to the forum as the recently deceased Kofi Annan was the founding chairperson of the AGRA initiative.

This 4-day forum hosted at the Kigali Convention Centre has attracted 300 international speakers from Governments and Business.

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