The Non-Resident Ghanaians Secretariat (NRGs) was launched in Accra on Wednesday to co-ordinate all activities and serve as the centre for all programmes and issues involving Ghanaians living abroad.

It would also provide a central point for the co-ordination of programmes and activities between Non Resident Ghanaians and the country with a view to harnessing the global Ghanaian resource potential for accelerated national development.

The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and the office of the National Economic Dialogue established the secretariat to be headed by Mr Kwabena Antwi, one of the initiators of the Homecoming Summit 2001.

Mr Kwasi Abeasi, Chief Executive of GIPC, said one of the key recommendations in the five-point action plan developed at the Homecoming Summit in 2001 was to establish a secretariat to meet the needs of Non-Resident Ghanaians.

He said the secretariat, which would be permanently located at the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, aimed among other things to collaborate with International Organisations like the Commonwealth Business Council in their "Africa Recruit" programme which seeks to work with African Governments to remove obstacles and create incentives to attracting skilled African personnel back to Africa.

It would also collaborate with the International Organisation For Migration in their "Migration For Development In Africa Programme, which seeks to assist in strengthening the institutional capacities of Africa Governments to manage and realise their development goals through transfer of relevant skills, financial and other resources of Africans in the Diaspora to develop Africa.

Mr Abeasi said the establishment of the NRGs at the GIPC had come after a long period of consultations and discussions among key stakeholders in Government notably the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Economic Planning, the Interior, Information and National Economic Dialogue Secretariat, as well as the GIPC.

As the lead investment promotion agency of the country, and the initiators of the Homecoming Summit Programme, the GIPC was committed to the successful implementation of all the recommendations and action plan agreed on at the Summit and was poised to provide the relevant logistics and human resources for the Secretariat, he said.

He announced that the GIPC would organise a mini conference in July 2003, in Accra for all the regional leaders of the Non-Resident Ghanaians, who were elected during the Homecoming Summit to review progress achieved so far on the five-point action plan and also discuss other interesting issues developed since then.

Dr Nii Noi Ashong, Minister of State in charge of Finance, said a secretariat of this nature was very important to send the right information to the residents living abroad and stressed the need to fully resource the GIPC to achieve the goals.

He stressed the need for the financial sector to maintain low and stable lending rates to promote trading activities and as well encourage the residents outside to invest in the country.

Mr Steven Asamoah-Boateng, Deputy Minister of Information, said although the previous government initiated the Homecoming Summit, its successful organisation demonstrated government's preparedness to work with ideas irrespective of their origin or political affiliation.

He said there were plans to issue "Homecoming Bonds" to residents abroad as a way of mobilising funds for programmes such as revamping railway system.