Princess Anne
Princess Anne, daughter of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England, is expected in Ghana as part of a two-country visit to West Africa.
The visit, the third to Ghana, would be used to strengthen the unique friendship between the United Kingdom (UK) and Ghana as the latter marks its 60th anniversary of independence.
It would also reinforce the strength and depth of bilateral relations and the UK’s ‘Global Britain’ drive to reinvigorate the Commonwealth.
The UK and Ghana already enjoy a special relationship, a unique friendship steeped in history and built upon deep social, cultural and inter-personal links.
The Royal Princess’s visit will mix tradition and modernity as she meets President Nana Akufo-Addo at the Flagstaff House, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II in Kumasi who would host a reception for guests, including former President Kufuor.
The Princess Royal will undertake a wide of range of programmes that will build on her previous visits in 1998 and 2011.
In a statement issued in Accra, Jon Benjamin, British High Commissioner to Ghana, indicated that the visit would also focus on empowering women who act as role models for others, exploring the importance of support for girls, female education and entrepreneurs in delivering Ghana’s future.
“She will pay a visit to an award-winning enterprise, benefiting from a DFID programme called ENGINE, which has so far supported 49 micro and small enterprises across a range of sectors, from indigenous cosmetic products (such as black soap and shea butter) to environmentally friendly and sustainable bamboo bicycles frames,” according to the statement.
According to the commissioner, Princess Ann will experience first-hand the challenges micro and small enterprises face and also what is possible with the right determination and help.
Touching on the educational benefits of the visit, the statement said the Royal Princess will interact with students in remote schools in the Greater Accra Region through an innovative distance learning programme – delivered by the Varkey Foundation (a non-profit organisation established to improve the standards of education for underprivileged children throughout the world in bringing quality education to thousands of children in rural areas through funding from the UK.
She will meet young girls and women who are members of CAMA Girls’ Alumni Network – a UK-funded, non-profit organisation that supports young girls to go to school and empowers young women to step up as leaders of change.
She will also commemorate links between the UK’s and Ghana’s Armed Forces, partaking in a ceremony at Christiansborg War Memorial alongside the Minister of Defence. She will meet with senior members of the Ghanaian military, veterans, cadets and successful women working in the Ghana Armed Forces.
The Princess is expected to visit the local operators of some of the charities and NGOs, of which she is patron, including VSO International and Opportunity International UK.
By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson
jeffdegraft44@yahoo.com