The Council of Ghanaian Nationals Association in Italy (COGNAI) has re-elected Omari Somuah as its President in an election at the Trade Union Office (UIL Office) in Vicenza.

The 34 delegates from 12 of the 20 registered Ghanaian Associations with COGNAI on a majority decision gave the nod to the Vicenza Association President to continue in office for another term.

Somuah pulled 20 votes against Thomas McCarthy (President of Modena Association), Gilbert Abasimi (Secretary of Vicenza Association) each with 6 votes and Samuel Doku (President of Udine Association) who received 2 votes.

Under the guidance of three of the Council members, Fiifi Yamoah, Benjamin Arthur and Tony Asante who conducted the elections, all four candidates were given brief moments to expound their campaign before the delegates.

There has been an earlier debate at the meeting to postpone the elections as a result of a protest letter submitted by the Como Association who held among other factors that an electoral body be appointed (independent of COGNAI Executives or probably with one or two co-opted members), that the electoral body write rules or regulations which should be followed by all GNA’s on the Council and names of all nominees be sent to all GNA’s in Italy for their members to know them before the election. The Como Association also requested that the Ghana Embassy in Rome should have a representative to preside over the elections so it would be able to send a report to the Presidents of all Ghanaian Association in Italy.

Council members present after a lengthy deliberations overruled the protest by a majority vote and carried on with the day’s agenda as already decided at a previous meeting in the city Udine.

The Constitution of COGNAI stipulated that to facilitate administrative work of the Council the elected President and the General Secretary should be residing in the same city or the same Association. Gilbert Abasimi from the election results, as agreed by the members, was chosen as the General Secretary whilst the post of Vice-President went to Thomas McCarthy who was previously Secretary of the Council.

New members elected on the Executive Board were Reggie Tagoe (from Parma Association) as Secretary, Chandiku Tokor (from the Association in Lecco) as Financial Secretary and Emma Baidoo (from Verona Association) as Treasurer.

Speaking after the elections, the re-elected President commended the Council members for exhibiting maturity and sense of diligence throughout the meeting. “It was democracy at its best, everyone was allowed freely to cast his or her vote freely and everything was transparent,” he said, noting that the fact that some old Executives were retained in office is an indication the old administration did not fare badly. Somuah admitted some lapses occurred in the previous administration but all will be corrected this time. “We are going to inject some new dynamism within the Ghanaian communities in Italy, organise programs in collaboration with the various Associations so as to be able to stand firm on their own. The strength of COGNAI would depend how strong the various Association are,” says the President.

On the sort of programs COGNAI would put before the Associations he mentioned among them entertainment, education, social and cultural activities. “We believe with this sort of programs we can get more support from organisations and increase participation in the GNA’s. Reflecting on reservations against most Ghanaian churches in Italy whose leaders seems to be showing lack of interest in the Associations activities therefore not encouraging its members to join, Somuah said there is lack of communication to the churches and they are not properly being fed with objectives of the Associations, a situation that is weakening the Associations because a good percentage of Ghanaians attend these churches. He mentioned in his concluding statements that Ghanaians who do not feel the need to belong to a Ghanaian Association do so due to lack of patriotism and selfishness thinking that they are self sufficient and do not need anyone. He enjoined these group of people to have a change of mind since the Association is of mutual benefit to every Ghanaian in their communities.

The General Secretary of the Council, Gilbert Abasimi, also in an interview shortly after his appointment, said COGNAI has come to be recognised as a formidable union representing the Ghanaian community in Italy. To see a much better COGNAI, contended the General Secretary, it must propel its activities with vigor and determination. He reiterated a point made by the President that COGNAI can attain greater heights if there is total commitment of the entire members to programs and activities of the Council. He also mentioned that the Ghanaian youths in Italy have a role to play to uplift the image of the new generation of Ghanaians coming to Italy. “The youths have to be career oriented, they have to be taught to work towards attaining higher remuneration and qualified skilled work instead of working as unskilled labourers in a factory. Secondly, they have to be well cultured in the Ghanaian traditional values, be taught how to respect their leaders as well as their parents,” says the General Secretary.

The Council members agreed at the end of deliberations to meet and amend its Constitution since the two years mandated for elected Executives is not long enough to plan and execute any meaningful program.