Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo on Wednesday, September 9 launched the seven pillars for the Beyond the Return celebration. A 17-member steering committee was also outdoored.

The 10-year initiative is a successor programme of the Year of Return which was held in 2019.

GhanaWeb in this article puts the spotlight on the 7 pillars of the Beyond the Return and what they stand for.

Experience Ghana

The core of this pillar is the invitation of the global African family to visit and experience Ghana, create memorable experiences through sankofa and healing journeys, cultural events, festivals, entertainment, nightlife and December in Ghana.

All these are key in establishing a long term connection between the Ghanaian and the African diaspora.

Invest in Ghana

This pillar will create a special investment programme to ease the process of doing business for the diasporans. Key activities will binclude the Diaspora Investment Programmes, Sankofa savings account and the diaspora housing scheme.

Diasporas Pathway to Ghana

This will see to the adoption of legal and policy framework on visa acquisition, that is e-visa, and an institution of a diaspora visa. It will facilitate key diaspora pathway programmes such as citizenship programmes, educational and work exchanges, residence and work purpose.

Celebrate Ghana

This pillar will create a sense of national consciences anchored on key cultural festivals, media programmes, adoption of contemporary programmes into the national calendar and promotion of domestic tourism.

Brand Ghana

The aim is to promote Ghana as a leading tourism destination and a hub for an African renaissance. It will create a new narrative on Ghana and strategically promote Ghana to the world.



Give back to Ghana

With this, giving back to Ghana will foster a new sense of community service to create ongoing legacies. Service areas will include tree planting, Community clean-up and the adoption of certain community impact projects.

Promote Pan-African heritage and innovation

This pillar will focus on promoting pan-Africanism, Ghanaian heritage and developing pilgrimage infrastructure around sites of memory. It will also look at the development of tourism infrastructure for most visited sites such as the Cape Coast and Elmina dungeons, Salaga slave market, among other places.

Despite the above-mentioned plans, the Senior Minister, however, pleaded with Ghanaians and the media to help make Ghana a place for investment, progress and prosperity and not a place where the youth flee in the hope of assessing greener pasture in Europe or America.