UK envoy elected C'wealth Secretariat chairman

Ghana's High Commissioner to the UK elected chairman of Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, H.E. Mr Isaac Osei, has been elected chairperson of the newly created Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat. The election was made at the first meeting of the Board in London on Thursday, June 28, 2002.

H.E. Mr Michael L’Estrange, Australian High Commissioner and Nigeria’s High Commissioner, H.E. Dr. Christopher Kolade were elected first and second vice-Chairman respectively.

The Board, among other things, provides strategic direction on major policy issues, plans and work programmes, and consider and approve current audited accounts of the Secretariat.

By virtue of its new position, Ghana has thus become an ex-officio member of the newly created 17-member executive committee of the Board which is headed by New Zealand. Eight of the Committee members are the eight largest contributors to all the Secretariat’s funds. These are UK, Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia.