The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCI) says there could not have been a better time to join forces with African Diasporans to invest in the country than now.

President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Clement Osei-Amoako, is upbeat that the partnership with the African Diaspora Development Initiative (ADDI) to create jobs and support the local economy to grow, would open up the economy for more investment.

Speaking at the opening of the International Trade Expo in Cape Coast, Clement Osei-Amoako emphasized the need for the indigenous people to support their counterparts from the diaspora to improve the business ecosystem and the infrastructure base of the country.

The Wakanda-One City of Return Trade Expo launch assembled international businessmen and women of African descent who have come to Ghana to showcase how productive the collaboration between the African Diaspora, Friends of Africa and their brothers and sisters on the Continent can be.

The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce intimated, the expo falls in line with the vision of the Chamber and the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry would support it fully to ensure that more jobs, industries and education and health infrastructures are enhanced.

He said: “The Chamber goes out all the time to look for investors for the country. We also partner with other bodies with some trade fairs outside the country. Now, we have the opportunity to see our own people coming back home to develop their own nation, then, we see it as a better platform for us to give them everything we have."

He called for priority to be given to the Diasporan as they are showcase why they want to bring their resources and expertise to develop the country.

“You realize that they have great brains all over the world and it is about that we Africans allow our friends from the diaspora to come home and help us develop our country. There’s a lot of programs initiated by government. Now the coming in of the African continental free trade brings a lot of opportunities,” he stated.

Clement Osei-Amoako called for support from Ghanaians for the projects that would be executed out of the trade expo and the Wakanda One City of Return project.

President of the African Diasporan Development Initiative, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao praised the resilience of the African and said the ADDI was ready to invest in Africa beginning from Ghana. 

She stated: “The rest of the world is coming to Africa. We, the owners, the inheritors of Africa’s wealth, we need to be involved. So, we are coming in to also participate in the economic development of Africa. You saw the support we are getting from the Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Trade.”

To her, the African diaspora can no longer go and invest in Africa individually or in small groups.  All that she says was required is a collaboration that would help pull billions of dollars together.

“So, we don’t need any funding from anybody as Africans from Diaspora. When we come together, we have what it takes to make things happen and that’s why we are here.”

A Pan Africanist and Kenyan Law Professor, Prof. P L Lumumba called on the African to be exude confidence in themselves and be assured that they could rebuild Africa and make it productive and viable.

The Wakanda-One City of Return Trade Expo is expected to assemble close to 1000 African Diasporans who, apart from investing in the region, would be sharing business ideas and offering some financial support to local businesses, especially, women and the youth to enable them fare well in their businesses.