Shirley Ayorkor Botchway
The
Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway,
has urged Ghanaians living in China to be law-abiding.
Addressing the Ghanaian
community in Guangzhou, where she had gone to open a Consulate General office,
the minister said they should be good ambassadors.
“I would like to take this
opportunity to advise my compatriots, who come here to do business or seek
business partners and those with resident permits, to be law-abiding. Please, be good ambassadors of Ghana in this
country to enhance our relations with China,” Ms Botchway admonished.
“Ghana is ready to support
you, and Ghana is equally ready to sanction the bad ones among you to preserve
our good name abroad,” she added.
With the establishment of
the Consulate, the minister told them that issues of visa, passports and
consular services would be addressed expeditiously. “Now you have a place to go
with consular issues. The Consulate is here to support you and listen to your
concerns,” she indicated.
Touching on government
programmes, the minister stated that the free SHS is progressing steadily
despite initial hiccups, saying President Akufo-Addo is determined to leave a
legacy of educated population.
She conceded that the free
SHS programme is expensive, but in the opinion of the President, no Ghanaian
child should be left out of the educational ladder. “The President believes
that is the way to go,” she said.
The Foreign Minister told
the audience about the efforts to beef up security in the country, with the
recent acquisition of more vehicles for the security agencies.
She announced the support
the Chinese government is extending to Ghana for educational infrastructure and
security.
She said more cars for the
police are expected from China as well as the second phase of the University
for Allied Health and Sciences in Ho.
She also mentioned the
construction of James Town fishing harbour by the Chinese.
She further admonished
Ghanaians abroad to be patient over national identification card saying the
exercise would be extended to them since the Foreign Affairs Ministry has not
got the mandate to issue ID cards.
Ghana Ambassador to China,
Edward Akwasi Boateng, responding to some of the concerns raised by the
residents, said that some of the issues raised were already receiving
attention.
The Consul General for Guangzhou, Samuel Nsiah, urged the residents to report any issue confronting them to the consulate.
From Fortune Alimi, Guangzhou, China
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