High Commissioner Victor Smith Swears In The National Council Executives In The Uk

The Ghana High Commissioner to the UK/Ireland, His Excellency Victor Emmanuel Smith, on Saturday 24^th October, swore in the Executive members of the National Council for Ghanaian Unions, UK (NCGU) at a lavish ceremony held in Birmingham and hosted by the Ghana Union in the Midlands. He was accompanied by the Head of Consular Affairs, Mr George Abaka Blankson and Deputy Head of Welfare, Mr Jedu Yeboah. Also in attendance were Hon. Justice Joe Appiah, MP for Ablekuma North Constituency and Mr Slech Letei Lartey, Assistant in charge Roads and Development at the Ledjorkuku Krowor Municipal Assembly as well as senior officials from the participating regional Unions.

His Excellency Victor Smith in delivering the inaugural address extended greetings from The President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama and expressed his personal joy at being associated with such a “historic, memorable and obviously significant day of the inauguration of the Council of Ghanaian Unions in the United Kingdom”

He took the opportunity to commend his predecessors and all the founding members of the National Council for their sacrificial and unrelenting efforts, which culminated in a day he had looked forward to from the first day he assumed office. Finally, His Excellency called attention to developmental progress made by the current administration while expressing confidence that some of the challenges facing the nation, such as the energy crisis will be resolved by the end of next year.

Dr Quaye Botchway, Chair of the NCGU expressed his appreciation to the Ghana Union Midlands (GUM) for hosting the inauguration and used the occasion to call on all Ghanaians to join their local Ghana Union to reinforce the capacity of the National Council to advocate for better conditions for Ghanaians resident in UK. Dr Quaye Botchway stated that; "Today marks the beginning of a new era in the development of a national umbrella body that will provide a unified voice for all Ghana Union groupings in the United Kingdom. I will encourage everyone here to be part of a Ghana Union in your various local areas and take it to the next level in the formation of regional unions. It is through these regional unions that your voice will be amplified at the national level by the National Council of Ghanaian Unions (NCGU), UK".

He went on to thank the directors for the confidence vested in him through his election as the first Chairman of the National Council. Leaders from the regional Unions in their submissions called for focus on the aims of the Council through collective efforts to achieve real and sustained improvement in the standard of living of Ghanaians.

The idea of establishing the NCGU was launched nearly three years ago at a meeting of community leaders in London, with the aim to improve collaboration among the regions to participate in the global move towards a more structured approach to organising Ghanaians in the Diaspora. It will be run by an elected Executive body accountable to the Directors and ultimately the people. Its activities will leverage with the assistance of additional short-term experts hired for specific tasks. The NCGU is a founding organisation of the FEDERATION OF GHANAIAN DIASPORA IN EUROPE, (FEGHADE).

For further information, please visit www.ncgu.org.uk or email [email protected] . Alternatively, you may call the Secretariat on 07510 258 785.