News
Kofi Okyere Darko Appointed Presidential Adviser on Diaspora Affairs
His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, has appointed renowned media personality, fashion entrepreneur, and cultural ambassador Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD) as Presidential Adviser on Diaspora Affairs.
With his extensive experience in connecting Ghana with its global diaspora, KOD’s appointment underscores President Mahama’s commitment to strengthening ties with Ghanaians abroad, fostering investment opportunities, and enhancing cultural and economic collaboration.
KOD over the years has created a longstanding relationship with Diasporans through his Nineteen57 Events company and other programmes like RhythmsOnDaRunway.
He has over the years become the bridge between Diasporans and the Ghanaian creative economy.
Against this backdrop, he has collaborated with many of them on varied projects and awarded some for their immense contributions.
It is expected that with his background in Public Relations and Marketing, he would create the necessary stakeholder relations for the benefit of Ghana.
The Mandate of the Diaspora Affairs Office, Office of the President, Ghana
Established in February 2017 within the Office of the President, the Diaspora Affairs Office was created to recognize and harness the immense contributions of Ghanaians living abroad, with a special focus on engaging African Americans and the broader African diaspora in reconnecting with their ancestral homeland.
At its core, the office is dedicated to strengthening ties between Ghana and its diaspora community. It serves as a bridge, fostering meaningful connections, celebrating achievements, and encouraging active participation in Ghana’s socio-economic development.
A key focus of the office is youth engagement, working closely with Ghanaian youth organizations abroad to ensure that second and third-generation Ghanaians remain connected to their heritage.
Additionally, the office maintains a comprehensive database of Ghanaians in the diaspora, streamlining their identification, location, and mobilization for national development.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Diaspora Affairs Office ensures that Ghanaians abroad have a direct link to government agencies, promoting investment and development initiatives that drive economic growth.
The office played a pivotal role in landmark initiatives such as the “Year of Return, Ghana 2019,”which commemorated 400 years since the first recorded arrival of enslaved Africans in Virginia, USA.
This initiative not only encouraged the global African diaspora to visit Ghana but also positioned the country as a prime destination for cultural exchange and investment.
Building on this success, the “Beyond the Return” initiative was launched as a 10-year program to sustain tourism, foster homecoming experiences, and enhance economic collaboration between Ghana and the diaspora.
Furthermore, the Diaspora Affairs Office has been instrumental in boosting Ghana’s tourism visibility by facilitating visits from top-tier Hollywood actors and influential figures of African descent.
These high-profile visits have showcased Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and investment opportunities on a global stage.
Through its strategic initiatives, the Diaspora Affairs Office continues to position Ghana as the ultimate gateway for the African diaspora—unlocking opportunities in investment, knowledge transfer, technology, and cultural exchange while reaffirming the nation’s commitment to unity and progress.
News
NPP condems arrest of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the arrest and detention of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah by operatives of the National Security.
In a statement signed by the General Secretary, Justin Kodua noted that “This unlawful action by the marauding operatives of the National Security is the latest installment of the ongoing series of state-sponsored attacks on the media by the NDC government, in their desperate attempt to silence the media and curtail press freedom.”
According to the him, “The Party condemns in no uncertain terms this state-sponsored lawlessness and commends the many well-meaning Ghanaians who spoke loudly against this shameful conduct by the National Security. We also commend the young people and the team of lawyers who stormed the National Security Secretariat this evening to see to the release of the abducted journalist.”
“The NPP wishes to remind President Mahama and his government that the Ghana that was bequeathed to them on January 7, 2025, was a free country. It was the bastion of democracy, underpinned not only by the existence of functioning democratic institutions but also by our unflinching commitment to upholding press freedom as enshrined in Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution,” they added.
Read the full statement below
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 19, 2025
*NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY CONDEMNS THE UNLAWFUL ARREST OF VETERAN JOURNALIST, OKATAKYIE AFRIFA MENSAH BY NATIONAL SECURITY OPERATIVES*
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) condemns the unlawful arrest and detention by operatives of the National Security, of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, a veteran journalist, who has been critical of the John Mahama administration.
This unlawful action by the marauding operatives of the National Security is the latest installment of the ongoing series of state-sponsored attacks on the media by the NDC government, in their desperate attempt to silence the media and curtail press freedom.
The Party condemns in no uncertain terms this state-sponsored lawlessness and commends the many well-meaning Ghanaians who spoke loudly against this shameful conduct by the National Security. We also commend the young people and the team of lawyers who stormed the National Security Secretariat this evening to see to the release of the abducted journalist.
The NPP wishes to remind President Mahama and his government that the Ghana that was bequeathed to them on January 7, 2025, was a free country. It was the bastion of democracy, underpinned not only by the existence of functioning democratic institutions but also by our unflinching commitment to upholding press freedom as enshrined in Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution.
In line with this commitment, the country also went through the painstaking process of repealing the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001, a process that was spearheaded by the immediate past President, H.E Nana Addo Akufo-Addo, who was then the Attorney General of the Republic.
It is therefore completely repugnant and unacceptable for the John Mahama administration to be using State Security to intimidate political opponents as well as media personnel in a bid to silence all critical voices This, in fact, is an egregious affront to our democratic and constitutional tenets.
We call on the Ghana Journalist Association, the Media Foundation of West Africa, Civil Society Organizations, and all stakeholders to join us in demanding an immediate cessation of this tyranny and growing culture of state-sponsored attacks on the media.
Enough is enough.
…Signed…
JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG
GENERAL SECRETARY
News
We have built enough buffers to pay all DDEP obligations – Finance Minister Ato Forson
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has assured banks that the government has built sufficient financial buffers to meet all Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) obligations this year.
Speaking at a high-level meeting with over 22 Managing Directors of banks, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and restoring confidence in the financial sector.
“We do not intend to default,” Dr. Forson declared.
“All outstanding holdouts have been paid, and we have put in place the necessary buffers to ensure that every single DDEP obligation for this year will be met.”
The Minister explained that these buffers were created through fiscal discipline, strategic investment cuts, and prudent resource allocation.
As part of this approach, the government has reset goods and services expenditure to 2023 levels and is working to achieve a primary surplus of 1.5% to sustain economic stability.
He also announced plans to submit a fiscal responsibility rule to Parliament, which will set a debt ceiling that the Ministry of Finance cannot exceed.
This measure aims to prevent excessive borrowing and reinforce financial discipline.
Beyond ensuring timely DDEP payments, Dr Forson revealed that the government is taking deliberate steps to reduce reliance on the Treasury bill market.
By improving coordination between fiscal and monetary policies, the government aims to stabilize interest rates and ease liquidity pressures on the banking sector.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
