Ghanaian Students In Korea And Associates (Ghaska) Congratulates & Appeals To The New President Of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo

Dear President NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO ADDO,
On behalf of Ghanaian Students in Korea and Associates (GHASKA), we would like to congratulate you on the impressive victory during the December 7, 2016, General Elections in Ghana. You have achieved what could very well amount to one of the greatest political victories in the history of Ghanaian politics. It is a symbol of your hard work and efforts you have shown throughout your three attempts at the presidency in 8 years, Ghanaians finally have entrusted you with the mantle of leadership.

We, GHASKA, with the primary motive to help build formidable networks and provide information for the self-aggrandizement of Ghanaian students in the Republic of Korea, with believe of advertently translating into the advancement of the socio-economic agenda of Ghana. A group of students with diversified field of study representing hundreds of students and non-students from every corner of Ghana studying in Korea write this letter on a hopeful note.

Mr. President, as the new leader of our beloved Ghana, one of our expectations is that the government puts in measures to tap into and maximize the enormous potential of Ghanaian students in the diaspora who often are reluctant to come home after graduation due to the limited job prospects in the country and also the unfavourable environment to establish businesses. The role of the GHASKA pool whose composition is an influx of diverse graduates with in-depth-knowledge in science, technology, good governance, humanities and the arts, etc. is critically important to our country, Ghana.

We take this unique opportunity, on your day of swearing-in, to bring to your attention, the glaring avoidable challenges faced by Ghanaian students in South Korea and earnestly count on your able leadership, to extend your good governance agenda to embrace us here by minimizing or ending our woes as international students in the Republic of Korea.

The main challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Ghana, is how to effectively structure and harness the benefits that are derivable from the diaspora. Unlike countries such as Turkey, the Philippines, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco, which have created the structures for doing this, many countries in sub-Saharan Africa do not have any structure whatsoever. That notwithstanding, GHASKA believes that the best way to stem migration or maximizing the pool of intellectuals/experts of Ghanaians in the diaspora is to progressively improve conditions in Ghana for a smoother integration after our studies.

Without any equivocation, Ghana has countless students/brains in the diaspora who can contribute in our nation building, we are yet to realize that. Until our leaders wake up to the fact that we now live in a global village where every nation that prioritizes development provides a platform to attract the best of brains from every corner of the world and keep them.

Mr. President, GHASKA pray you to give us the best of proactive ambassadors who are well tooled or equipped with modern technology in addition to an effective foreign affairs ministry to handle our requests as international students with efficiency.

We want to appeal to your high office of the Land, the Presidency, about our deepest challenge and routine cycle of woe dear to our heart and in need of urgent remedy from your administration as soon as possible. These challenges include Uncertainty of employment in Ghana after school, Delay in passport renewal with mission’s abroad consulate divisions and the difficulty in securing a visa to South Korea as the processes and required document are not clear and consistent in Ghana.

Mr. President, in congratulating and celebrating your glorious moment of victory, we also want to congratulate the Ghanaian electorate, the Electoral Commission of Ghana, the Media and all stakeholders for consolidating Ghana’s democracy once again, we have proven beyond all doubt to be a cradle of democracy and good governance in Africa.

We call on you to commit to our challenges here in South Korea of which we are ready to collaborate in overcoming from now until the final day of your presidency. We also hope your administration will improve response rates to request made by Ghanaians living abroad. We are proud to be Ghanaians and hopeful of your attention to our plights at GHASKA.

More grace to your new challenges as you take the new title, HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT NANA ADDO DANQUAH AKUFO-ADDO via the symbolic swearing-in ceremony. Congratulations!

Respectfully,
Rita Udor (President, GHASKA)
Research Scholar
Graduate School of International Studies
Ewha Womans University.
52, Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodamun-Gu
Seoul Korea.
Mobile: +8201059245052.
About GHASKA:
The group was started at the proposal of Ms. Rita Udor during a post-independence day party on 7^th March, 2015 at the residence Mr. Peprah Aprantwum, the Minister Counsellor in charge of Political, Economic and Diaspora. The primary motive is to help build formidable networks and provide information for the self-aggrandizement of Ghanaian students in the Republic of Korea, which was believed, would advertently translate into the advancement of the socio-economic agenda of Ghana.

The Association is non-political, cooperates with the Ghana Embassy of Korea and serves as an umbrella body for all Ghanaian students based in South Korea.