The Ghana Honorary Consul General in Toronto currently headed by Dr. Martin La Kumi is to be upgraded to a full Consulate General but with an ironic twist: A Filipino-Canadian has been appointed to head the new Ghana Mission in Toronto. A source close to the Office of the President and confirmed by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra indicated that the official announcement for this appointment will be made by June, 2002.

The source told The Ghanaian News that the new Consul General?s appointment was made on the recommendation of the Toronto Chapter of the New Patriotic Party (NPP Toronto-Canada). The source further indicated that the new upgraded position was initially offered to former Asantefuohene of Toronto, Mr. Opoku Boahene but he declined.

A number of Ghanaian Community members in Toronto that The Ghanaian News spoke to are outraged that such an appointment will be made over the heads of the thousands of well-qualified people in Ontario. Many are of the view that this appointment goes against the calls by the President and government in Ghana for Ghanaians in the diaspora to contribute their quota in assisting in the development of the country.

The new Consul General is already in Ghana expected to undergo a three-month orientation before taking up his appointment in Toronto in the late summer