The Ghana High Commission in Lusaka, Zambia, following its re-opening on 15 December, 2008, organized its maiden Independence celebration from 06 to 08 March, and 14 March, 2010 on the occasion of the 53rd Anniversary of Ghana’s Independence.

His Excellency Dr. William G. M. Brandful, in his own name and on behalf of his wife and the High Commission Staff, welcomed the Special Guest, Hon. Catherine Namugala, [MP], Minister of Tourism, Environment & Natural Resources and other distinguished guests to his Residence, venue of the well-attended official reception, on Saturday, 06 March, 2010. This event, the first to herald the activities planned for the celebration, was followed the next day, by an Exhibition of Made-In-Ghana products. The launch of the “Ghana Shop and Skills Development Centre” took place on Monday, 08 March; while the Inter-denominational Thanksgiving Church Service and Memorial Event, was organized on Sunday, 14 March, 2010.

In her remarks at the official Reception, the host Tourism Minister, praised Ghana, among other things, for her excellent record in Peace-keeping operations; for Kwame Nkrumah’s contribution to the emancipation of the African continent; and for Kofi Annan’s inspiring leadership as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations Organisation.

The Made-In-Ghana Exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Ghana Export Promotion Council; the Ghana Tourist Development Company Limited; and with the assistance of the Association of Ghanaians in Zambia (AGIZ), was held at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel, with Mrs. Dinah Brandful; Mr. Kobina Ade-Coker, GEPC Board Chair; Dr. Kwadwo Owusu Agyeman, CEO of GEPC; Mrs. Emelia Brew-Butler, CEO of GTDCL; Mr. Sam N. Brew-Butler, Business Executive; and Mr. Gerald Nyarko-Mensah, Director, GEPC, in attendance. The day-long exhibition was launched by the CEO of GEPC, after which Mrs. Brew-Butler and Mr. Nyarko-Mensah conducted the guests on a tour of the products.

The Ghana Shop and Skills Development Centre which was officially launched on Monday, 08 March, 2010, has been designed by the Ghana High Commission in collaboration with the GEPC, the GTDCL, and with the support of AGIZ, to be a tool for the promotion of economic diplomacy especially in the form of bi-lateral cooperation in south-south trade and investment between Ghana as an ECOWAS member, and Zambia which belongs to SADC and COMESA regional groupings. Under the “trade component” of the Centre’s activities, products of Ghanaian origin would be sold. The programme of selected basic “cottage skills training and exchange” will be tailored to target micro, small and medium entrepreneurs from both Zambia and Ghana and, to the extent that it is possible, offer priority attention to gender issues and create income-generating opportunities for women as well as men and the youth. It would be advocated for a similar facility to be operated in Ghana, under the auspices of the High Commission of Zambia, under reciprocal conditions.

The maiden sale that followed the launch was well patronized, alongside the food fair of Ghanaian dishes. The regular opening hours of the Shop, are from 09:00 to 18:00 hours, from Monday to Saturday. The items on sale are to be sourced from Ghana, through the GEPC and the GTDCL.

His Excellency Dr. Kenneth D. Kaunda, Former Zambian President, graciously consented to attend, as the Special Guest of Honour, the two-hour-long Event in which the first hour was devoted to an interdenominational thanksgiving Church service on Sunday, 14th March, 2010, featured the St. Thomas Congregation Choir, Bauleni. The second part of this Event was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The Special Guest of Honour gave an assessment of what Dr. Kwame Nkrumah stood for. The Zambian Group of Pan-Africanist also contributed a speaker; while a bunch of Zambian children enacted the “declaration of independence” by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. A video recording of the celebration is available at the website of the Mission at www.ghczambia.org

Ghana High Commission, Lusaka.