The Minister for Tourism, Ms Akua  Sena Dansua, has re-affirmed her Ministries commitment towards the forth coming 2012 Pan African Festival ( PANAFEST) and Emancipation celebrations themed “Development Of The Motherland: The Role Of People Of African Descent”

According to her, the celebration is a significant event which aims at healing the painful wounds of the slave trade that took millions of Africans away into the Diaspora, where life has never been the same.

Speaking at the Meet-the Press series in Accra, today, she explained that the celebration which marks the 10th PANAFEST and 20th Emancipation Day celebrations will see many visitors from across the world to mark the event.

The Ministry, she stated has outlined activities to help climax the celebrations which seek to unite the African family. These are Memorial Service honouring the ancestors, 20th Anniversary durbar of kings, queens and visiting delegation, traditional rebirth (naming) “reclaiming our African mind” and a durbar at Assin Manso among others.

Ms Dansua pointed out the enormous collective responsibility the programme entails and urged the citizenry to work together to ensure a successful event which will enhance Ghana’s national dignity and the respect as the centre of Pan Africanism and the standard of the ‘black star’ of Africa.

Ms Dansua indicated that in May this year a Global African Diasporan Summit was held in South Africa which saw the participation of some African Heads of State. A delegation from North and South America, the Caribbean and Europe attended and the summit ratified the declaration to be adopted by Africa Union nations to officially and legally integrate the Diaspora into the constitutional fabric and spirit of the reorganisation and construction of Africa.

Ambassador Dr. Erika Bennet  on her part, applauded Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for the great speech he delivered by telling the world what Ghanaians are made off at the summit in South Africa.

Dr Bennet stressed that Ghana is the only country with Diplomatic Mission dealing with Diaspora affairs and celebrates PANAFEST which shows the country’s commitment to their sisters and brothers in the Diaspora. She commended Ghanaians for the great hospitality they shown to visitors in Ghana.


“One is called an African not because he was born in Africa but because Africa is born in you”, she stressed.

Source: ISD (Philomina Nkasia & Loretta Ashie)

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