President Akufo-Addo interacting with Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, after the meeting at Jubilee House
Speaker of the United States (US) Congress (Parliament), Nancy Pelosi, has commended Ghana’s contribution towards global peace and security.
She gave the commendation when she called on President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House as part of her three-day visit to the country.
While on their way to Ghana, Pelosi narrated that they met a military that complimented Ghana on its role in global security which she thought was a plus for the country.
She believes it is one of the best ways the country can continue to contribute to the sustenance of world peace in these times of global insecurity. “Militarily, politically culturally and every way, we salute Ghana,” she added.
The Speaker also applauded the efforts of the many Ghanaian-Americans which she considered a blessing.
Democratic Party Congressman and Chair of the Black Caucus, Jim Clyburn, who was part of the delegation, said “our mission today is very simple; it is to ensure that we interact in a way that will make your future and ours one of trade rather than aid.”
The President was delighted in the fact that it was the first time a Speaker of the US Congress had visited Ghana, and was proud that she is the first woman to occupy that position as in the case of his Chief of Staff, Frema Osei-Opare, the first woman to be appointed to that office in Ghana.
“We see this year as a year when we can renew the relations with the United States and at the same time make some comments about the position of black people in the world about what has happened with relations between our two countries over these last 400 years; it’s our determination never to get into that situation again, and as well as use the occasion to be able to welcome those who were taken from our shores to make life elsewhere and back to Ghana and that’s the real purpose of this Year of Return,” the President said.
The President described the visit of the leadership black caucus of the US Congress as ‘reassuring’, saying “the work that they do within the American political system is something that we all follow with great keenness; we see the efforts that they do to position black people in America as the right perspective and to fight for their rights and interests; it’s an honour for us to have so many of the leaders with these names we’ve heard of, the latest being our sister from Somalia who has become embroiled in a major controversy in your country.”
He recalled last year’s visit to Ghana by US First lady, Melania Trump, Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross and the Governor of Nevada, Brian Sandavol and other high-profile visits.
We pride ourselves on being a functioning democracy in Ghana;…today since the establishment of the Fourth Republic, the Ghanaian people have committed themselves fully to a future of democratic engagement and other principles of democratic accountability, respect for human rights; the rule of law is now central in our body politic,” the President stressed.
He reiterated that Africa needed a new and a more progressive agenda of investment and not necessarily aid.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent