His Excellency Charles Agyei-Amoama - Ghana Ambassador to Italy - took office in October 2006 at a time that there was disagreement between the Ghana Embassy in Rome and the Ghanaian Community in Italy over Ghana passport fee increase. Our correspondent in Italy, Reggie Tagoe, was in his office for an interview looking at 1year of his administration. Below is the full text on that interview.
Reggie Tagoe (RT): Your Excellency, it’s a little over 12 months since you took office as Ghana Ambassador to Italy. What was your expectation before coming to Italy?
His Excellency Agyei-Amoama (H.E): I was serving in Canada as Deputy High Commissioner at the Ghana Mission. Once I was nominated for the position I started monitoring what was coming out of Italy. I monitored it on ghanaweb and everywhere I can lay my hands on. I realised that I was coming to a place where there are many problems. It was a challenge but I made a decision that whatever it is, with God on my side, listening to people and reasoning with them I’m going to succeed.
(RT): You took office at a time that there was friction between the Ghana Embassy in Rome and the Ghana community in Italy led by the Council of Ghanaian Nationals Association in Italy (COGNAI). They were not happy with an 85% increase on renewal and applying for the Ghana passport at the Embassy. It does seem the situation is under control now. How were you able to calm matters?
(H.E): If there’s a problem you seek people’s opinion, you listen to them and then from there you also come out with some sort of solution. This was exactly what I did. When I arrived, I decided to go to communities of Ghanaians and find out exactly what their problems were. The passport case was really an issue and what helped me on the situation was that I’m a diasporan myself, I have lived out of Ghana for 29 years and having participated in community developments in leadership situations as an ordinary member it helped because I faced some of these problems myself. Communication, I believe have been my major breakthrough. When you listen to people and communicate with them they seem to understand and appreciate it and that’s exactly what I have done.
(RT): The first time I was in your office in the early part of this year you explained the situation being also Ghana Ambassador not only to Italy but 4 other countries, Greece, Turkey, Slovenia and Croatia. What have been your interactions with Ghanaians there and developments between Ghana and these countries?
(H.E): I have presented my credentials and in addition to that subsequently paid visits to these countries. In all my travels what I do is, I meet Ghanaian students studying there. When I went to Turkey I met Ghanaians studying in that country to find out what were their problems and together with the Embassy how we can move their agenda and Ghana forward. I did the same thing when I went to Greece, Slovenia and Croatia. We don’t have any Consulate in Croatia and Slovenia and I’m looking for prospective candidate who can help sell Ghana in these countries. What I found out is that because Ghana is doing so well under President Kufuor many of the leaders of these countries appreciate and want to help Ghana with man-power development in terms of operating scholarship for Ghanaians
(RT): Let’s again talk about the Ghanaian community in Italy and COGNAI. You appear to be attached to them and have been taking part in most of their activities, the Ghana@50 celebration here is an example. What’s the moving force behind your closeness to them, I mean these interactions?
(H.E): I have been in similar situation where they are and do sympathise with the leadership of COGNAI. I love and appreciate the work they do. I often refer to the President of COGNAI, Omari Somuah, as ‘my brother’. I share something common with him and all the leadership of the various Associations in Italy. I know that in these situations it’s the love for their country and love for the community that urges one to devote his or her time, money and resources to help uplift the community and I commend them very much. They have on occasions, at short notice, put up wonderful programs when I go on visits to their communities. I love and appreciate that much. I also commend you for what you’re doing for the Ghanaian community in Italy, that also gives me the support.
(RT): What problems do you have with the Ghanaian community in Italy?
(H.E): I don’t really have a problem with the community. What I have been advising Ghanaians here is, I tell them as it is: We are a community in a foreign land, you have to comport your self and be it in Italy, Canada or elsewhere, if you’re not ignorant of the laws of the country and your rights you will see that you’re always on top of issues. Education is the key to everything, you learn something everyday and therefore people should not keep themselves within the four walls of their home but rather venture outside. You must be part of the mosaic of the country you live in. The more you get to interact with people, the more they get to know you and appreciate you and they see that after all you’re just like them. In my visits to various cities where there are Ghanaians I meet with the City Mayor and the Head of the Police Department and the results have been positive.
(RT): Your Excellency, let’s touch on the Ghana’s 50th year of Independence anniversary celebrations in Italy. The response by Ghanaians in this country have been amazing, you’ve grazed some of the events with your presence. From city to city from one Association to another they’ve celebrated it in extraordinary fashion selling Ghana’s image abroad. What’s your take on all these?
(H.E): Infact! I have been moved. The few places that I have been under the anniversary and how Ghanaians here have presented themselves have been wonderful. Let me site you one example. I thought far away in Palermo, on the Sicily Island, I was not going to see a sizeable Ghanaian community but you’ll be amazed the people who turned out. This was done in a park in the afternoon and Ghanaians came in their numbers, in their traditional attire and there was a parade similar to what usually takes place in Ghana. Parade of various groups, churches marching and I was asked to take the stand to salute. It’s been like that from place to place within the Ghanaian communities. I think you’re a catalyst on all these things in view of your reporting on the occasions.
The way you’ve showcased to the whole world what’s happening in our community in Italy has been wonderful and I commend you.
(RT): The Ghana Embassy will in December officially end activities on the celebration in Rome with a big event. What’s really going to take place under this event?
(H.E): We are having two events. On the 7th December there is going to be a business seminar and is being done in conjunction with Ghanacoop, a business enterprise born out of the Ghana Association in the city, Modena, they are the main sponsors. We are bringing together, Ghanaian entrepreneurs in Italy, Italian entrepreneurs working in Ghana and Italian investors who are looking at Ghana to invest. The seminar will be held at the African/Italian Institute in Rome between 2p.m and 6p.m. What we hope will come out is the establishment of a Ghana/Italy Chamber of Commerce to help galvanise business activities and to co-operate with similar Chamber of Commerce in Ghana.
On the 8th of December at the Sheranton Hotel in Rome between 7p.m and 2a.m, we are going to have ‘Golden Jubilee Ball’ which is a dinner and dance event. We really want to have an enjoyable evening. It’s going to be in three or four parts and for the fist time, the Embassy is going to give special awards to 10 Ghanaians in Italy or organisations in pursuance of their invaluable contribution to the development and promotion of the interest of Ghana in Italy and beyond. Many organisations and individuals have given so much to Ghana and Ghanaians and I think we ought to appreciate and thank them.
We are going to do this on yearly basis, many people and organisations deserves to be awarded and we’re starting with 10 for the first event of its kind. The day’s activities will also include a raffle draw with the 1st prize being an air ticket, Rome-Accra-Rome, the 2nd prize a weekend trip to the island Capri and the 3rd prize will be a Home Theatre unit, there will also be consolation prizes.
We are bringing Ghanaian artistes – Ofori Amponsah, Kofi Nti, Ben Brako, Dasebre Dwamena and comedian Agya Koo and his group.
Let me also mention that I was recently in the city, Milan, and bounced into a famous African/American film actor, Spike Lee, who loves Ghana and Africa and is currently filming in Italy. I threw him an invitation to come for the show and he accepted to join us on December 8. We are going to showcase Ghana but at the same time there is the need here which I have identified in Italy. The Government of Ghana doesn’t provide funds for destitute Ghanaians here. We are setting up a Welfare Fund and the occasion of December 8 would also be used to generate a seed money for Ghanaians who face difficulties as destitute. Ghanaians who are desperate, not making any meaningful life here, come to the Embassy and wants to go home (Ghana) to settle and begin a new life but don’t have money to even buy their air ticket and we have to do something to help these people.
(RT): Your initiative of establishing a Welfare Fund for the Ghana community seems a good idea but who keeps this money, who qualify for it and how can one apply for it?
(H.E): I have commissioned a Ghanaian lawyer here who has done some work on this. The Fund would be managed by a Board of Directors. COGNAI will nominate two people, the churches two or three, the Rome Association one person and at the Embassy, the Ambassador and the Accountant will be part of it. When a Ghanaian here is in need, the person would have to submit an application and the Board will have to consider whether the applicant is a destitute or not. We don’t want a situation where people will come out of the woods to say they are destitute.
(RT): Let’s quickly talk about the Ghana Embassy building in Rome. For some years it wasn’t a place many Ghanaians here can be proud of. The state of the building was deteriorating with time so also your official residence. As I walked in I see some improvements, tell me about the refurbishing and what we should expect after completion.
(H.E): Come January 2008 anybody who comes to the Embassy will see a tremendous change in the state of the building. Right now most of the interior works have been completed, they are now on the outside facial. We are not just doing ‘cosmetic’ work we are doing major ‘surgery’. When everything is completed I think Ghanaians would be proud of their Embassy in Rome. People are already commending me and the staff as to what we have done so far. The Consular Section have completely been changed, we’ve put in a television set, not just a TV but a satellite equipment by which applicants waiting for their document can watch broadcasting news and programs from Ghana TV stations among other popular stations across the world. We have changed the whole Chancery and renovation works is also going on at the Ambassador’s residence. The public places of convenience at the Embassy has in a modern way been upgraded and increased from 2 to 4. Most of my compatriots coming to the Embassy for documents travels long distances and need a place to freshen up so the place have been designed to cater for these things. Information technology is also improved so also is security. We will finally have surveillance cameras when everything is completed. We are now upgrading the Conference Room and when finished we are going to have presentation with projectors, computers and other modern equipments installed.
(RT): Your Excellency you appear to be on course to a laudable achievement, what special message would you want to convey to Ghanaians in Italy.
(H.E): My special message to my fellow compatriots here is: We should look at countries like Malaysia, China, India, among others. One time ago they were developing or third world countries, they have moved and now in the League of Nations. We can also be there, it’s not only the government that will make Ghana a first nation, all Ghanaians have a part to play. When we cast our minds back we see that citizens of these countries were sent out or they went out, they acquired knowledge, they acquired skills among others to help and build their country. We have to be able to take something back home to our country in these areas. We should not be here thinking of only working in factories to make money. The very things that we are doing here we have to take something back home, start somewhere and build on it. That’s the only way to move Ghana forward. Italy is noted for small-scale enterprises, let’s copy from them and do the same thing back home and with that Ghana would be a great place.
(RT): Your Excellency thank you very much for having me. It’s always been a pleasure talking to you.
(H.E): Thank you too for the work you’re doing for the Ghanaian community in Italy. You’ve been a wonderful example and a role model and hope you don’t loose focus but continue to carry on with your good works.
