... COGNAI meets city officials on program

It’s expected to be the biggest Ghanaians gathering and the first of its kind within the immigrants community in Italy, tagged: ‘Ghana Nationals Conference’, to be held in the Italian industrial city, Torino, on June 21 this year.

Though it’s about 3 months away, expectations are high, an event which will not only involve speeches but also see a part of Ghanaian culture being displayed in a mock durbar of chiefs and people with traditional drumming and dancing in an open square of the city.

Some of the topics that speakers will focus on are: culture of the Ghanaian and growing up in Ghana, the Ghanaian community in Italy (population, places mostly located, types of jobs and social activities they are involved), experiences of the Ghanaian coming to Italy which will refer to the difficulties, gains and achievements.

Speakers who will include Italians and Ghana Government Minister(s) will also touch on the role of the Italian City Council and other establishments responsible for the welfare of immigrants in Italy, the economic impact on growth the Ghanaian immigrants can derive from the Italian economic activities and also outline the opportunities the Ghanaian economy can offer to Italian investors and Ghanaian immigrants in Italy.

Initial preparations have started and four executives representing the Council of Ghana Nationals Association in Italy (COGNAI) were in Torino to present and discuss the program of the event with city officials in two separate meetings. The four COGNAI representatives, Omari Somuah (President), Thomas McCarthy (Vice President), Gilbert Abasimi (General Secretary) and Reggie Tagoe (Secretary) were with five other executive members, Padmore Opoku (Ahinkorah), Abdul Iddi Rahmah, Freeman William Adzikah and Hellen Abdul of the Ghanaians Association in Torino. The delegation was joined by Giovanni Maria Ferraris, an Engineer and Council member of the City Council, who has been of tremendous assistance in activities of the Ghanaian community in Torino.

Their first meeting was with Dr. Michelle Dell’Utri, Councillor on Promotion, Cooperation and International Relations of the city, Torino. The President of COGNAI at the meeting on behalf of the Council expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to the city authorities for their assistance to the Ghanaian community in Torino and said there is the hope that such efforts and cooperation will go further after the June 21 Conference. He explained the purpose of the Conference with briefs of the program to Dr. Dell’ Utril who in response asked that details of it be presented in order for the City Council to carry out its valuation and kind of assistance it can offer. He later presented souvenirs of the city to the delegation.

The second meeting of the delegation, also held in the presence of Giovanni Maria Ferraris, was with Giovanni Pischedda, a senior official of the Office of Commerce who is responsible for the Foreign Trade Department and International Organisation.

The delegation again briefed him on the Conference and he promised his office assistance but also requested for written details on the program.

The delegation was later led to inspect a spacious well designed meeting hall which may be offered for the Conference. The office of Commerce is also likely to work out the possibility of using an open square area just outside the Conference Hall of its office for the display of the Ghanaian culture of drumming and dancing with all its trappings after speeches and ceremonies on the Conference.

In both meetings a business seminar to be held on June 20, a day before the Big Conference date, was discussed. The seminar which will take place in the morning will be between Ghanaian entrepreneurs in Italy, Italians who hold businesses in Ghana and Torino business executives and will focus on trade and investments in Ghana.

Arrangements are also being made for a tour of the city after the seminar by participants that will include Ghana’s Ambassador to Italy, His Excellency Charles Agyei-Amoama, and his entourage from the Ghana Embassy in Rome. Torino is all history, like numerous Italian cities, and participants of this great Ghanaian event in the city will see enough of it visiting some of the historic sites which include a museum where the shroud of Jesus has been kept over 2,000 years and still a great tourist attraction.