...with New High Commissioner to Canada in grand style
The city of Toronto despite the bad weather on the night of Saturday, March 9, 2002 saw the biggest and glamorous celebration of Ghana’s Independence Anniversary in recent years. It was the celebration of Ghana’s 45th birthday organized by the Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Ontario with His Excellency, Mr. Samuel Arthur Odoi-Sykes, the new Ghana High Commissioner to Canada as the guest speaker.

At about 9 p.m. on that day, the North Kipling Community Centre at 2 Rowntree Road, Etobicoke was filled to capacity with mostly Ghanaians (both young and old), guests from sister African countries resident in Toronto, representatives of the Canadian government and some students, staff and Faculty of OISE - University of Toronto. The program kicked off with a smart parade by the Ghanaian Ex-Servicemen Association of Canada and the Fa Nyame Pathfinder Club of the Toronto Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist Church. After the inspection of guard by H.E. Odoi-Sykes and the Hon. Dr. Martin La-Kumi, Consulate General of Ghana in Toronto, prayers were said for Ghana and Canada by Rev. J. Quainoo of the Church of Pentecost, and the Imam of the Ghana Muslim Association of Canada. The Ga-Adangbe Cultural Association in Toronto followed with the pouring of libation.

Then came felicitations from the government of Canada. The Hon. Roy Cullen, MP for Etobicoke North and the Hon. Jean Augustine, MP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore (both very good friends of the Ghanaian community in Toronto) took turns to bring personal and their government’s greetings and well-wishes to the government and people of Ghana on our 45th national birthday.

When the new High Commissioner, H.E. Odoi-Sykes took the podium to address the gathering he was full of gratitude to the organizers of the function for the invitation which happened to be his first public function since he took office in Canada two weeks ago. And to the Ghanaian community in Toronto for their impressive turn out and warm welcome accorded him and his wife at the function. H.E. Odoi-Sykes spoke on three main issues arising from “taking stock of our community” in Canada. These were: the dual-citizenship law, an umbrella organization for Ghanaians in Canada, and thinking positively about Ghana. He praised the NPP government for taking the necessary steps to remedy the issue on dual-citizenship for Ghanaians living abroad. H.E. pointed out that since 1992 attempts were made by Ghanaians in diaspora who contribute in meaningful way to the economy of Ghana to be granted dual-citizenship so that they didn’t become aliens in their own land of birth when they visited home. “The attempts” he said, “were frustrated until NPP came to power and put the issue before parliament six months ago.” He hoped that by the end of March, this year, Parliament would pass the bill into law.

On the need for an umbrella organization for Ghanaians in Canada, he regretted the fact that some leaders of ethnic organizations and cultural associations have become so selfish that they don’t see the need for the umbrella organization. “Such leaders are afraid of their positions,” he inferred. H.E. called on the many Ghanaian cultural, ethnic and church organizations to come together under one umbrella association since all Ghanaians would in one way or the other benefit from the recognition by and, assistance from the Canadian government to such union. United we stand, divided we fall!

H.E. Odoi-Sykes also advised Ghanaians in diaspora to show interest in what is happening back home in Ghana. He said that the smooth change of government in Ghana through the ballot box in December, 2000 has given Ghana an international reputation. However, the government faces reclining economy, huge foreign debts, high inflation and problems of education, health care, agriculture and unemployment among others. The happy note is that the NPP government has been able to reduce inflation from 40 percent to 20 percent, stabilize the cedi and, is gradually stamping out corruption with its zero tolerance policy. H.E. stressed the need for all Ghanaians to help build Ghana. “There should be no apportioning of blame. We must all put our shoulders to the wheels to build our country. Ghana is to be built by Ghanaians and not by foreigners,” he reiterated. H.E. Odoi-Sykes referred to countries like Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea which were in worse situation than Ghana when Ghana became independent in 1957 and said, "they are now far ahead of Ghana. They have prospered because they did less politics and more economics to build their countries." He therefore called on Ghanaians to do the same. “With the passing of the dual-citizenship law soon Ghanaians living abroad should go home and invest in the economy of the country,” he concluded.

The President of the Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Ontario, Prof. George Dei, in his closing remarks invited all Ghanaians living in Ontario to a town hall meeting in Toronto on Saturday, June 8, 2002 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. to ratify the constitution for the Association and to elect new officers. There was an open-for-all dance with H.E. and his wife opening the floor. Perhaps the most fascinating attraction of the night was the paying of tribute to Ghana’s founding fathers by a Toronto Youth, Master Matthew Boah Jr. There was also a Rwanda cultural dance which featured among the dancers a very young girl. Indeed, the celebration was colorful and culturally pageant. The program was sponsored by Western Union Money Transfer, the Toronto District Catholic School Board and Ghanaian businesses in Toronto.