As part of her trip to Brussels, Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang met with the Ghanaian community in Belgium, including the Chairman of the group , chiefs, elders, members of the Ghana Council and the youth.
The Vice President was accompanied by Hon. James Gyakye Quayson, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Ghana’s Ambassador to Belgium and Head of Mission to the EU, H.E. Henry Tachie-Menson. It was an opportunity for the team to have a warm and meaningful engagement while discussing various concerns.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang expressed appreciation for their continued support and contributions to national development, encouraging them not to forget Ghana and to remember that Government is willing to sustain initiatives that bring tangible benefits to communities in Ghana.
Several key issues were raised, including food safety, youth discipline, labor export, and illegal mining (galamsey). Government remains fully committed to ending the menace of galamsey. I noted that Ghana has mined for generations, but never witnessed such environmental degradation until recent years.
“To address this, new measures are being implemented to ban mining in forest reserves and water bodies. While fixing the problem will take time, we have the resolve and determination to restore our environment” she stated.
On the matter of food safety, the Vice President assured them that the government is working closely with researchers to improve soil testing and promote safe agricultural practices.
Speaking on issues regarding the youth, she strongly advised parents not to portray Ghana as a deterrent to children abroad, but rather as a home where everyone belongs.
She also called on the youth to maintain discipline and think long-term, reminding them that every action has consequences.
On labor export, the Vice President emphasized that while it reflects the quality of Ghanaian training, Ghanaian workers who travel abroad must be protected and treated with respect.
She again spoke on government initiatives such as the Adwumawura Programme and the 24-Hour Economy Policy, which aim to expand employment opportunities both locally and for Ghanaians in the diaspora who wish to return home.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
