Her Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason
South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Grace Jeanet Mason on Tuesday, March 21 joined scores of South Africans residents in Ghana and Ghanaians to commemorate Human Rights Day.
March 21 is declared Human Right Day in South Africa to remember all those who lost their lives in the struggle for freedom in 1960, when 69 people died and 180 others wounded as a result of segregation and Apartheid in some townships by the white.
Speaking at an event at the residence of the Commissioner to commemorates the day, under the theme “consolidating and sustaining Human Rights, culture into the future, the High Commissioner said the day offers opportunity for them to reflect on the past and work towards promoting the rights and adhering to the democratic principles of the country in order to forestall similar events in future.
She said the day which is commemorated across Africa does not only mark human Rights day but also provides an opportunity for South Africa to promote Pan Africanism and cooperation between the two countries.
“This is a day, we say never again, we will also say that, South Africa now has a constitutional democracy and with the bill of right enshrined in our constitution such as the Right to security, right to freedom, right to education right to life makes as a diverse nation.
This is a strategic relation between South Africa and Ghana and as we come together as South Africans we do what unite us as Africans with a common vision and a common destiny. Our cultures are inextricably linked from the languages that we speak to our cuisines and similarities that we find between Ghana and South Africa and the continent as a whole,” she added.
The High Commissioner further underscored the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) as an opportunity for Ghana to trade more with an already trade volumes of $6 to $7 billion where the two countries could create value chains and a niche for more improved trade.
She said as part of efforts towards improving the relationship between the two countries South Africa will initiate more investment opportunities between the two countries while urging the two countries to continue to partner and support each other to achieve its goals particularly human rights goals and climate change as a global issue.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah