The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre is deeply appreciative of the overwhelming enthusiasm that has greeted the announcement to convene a Homecoming Summit for Ghanaians living abroad in Accra this year. The enthusiasm and interest is evidenced by the impressive attendance of Ghanaians at meetings organized in several domains abroad to discuss the Summit programme.

Subsequently, there has been an upsurge in mails, extensive Internet discussions and other pertinent enquiries on the Summit programme and the organization of this historic convention.

Ghanaians Living Abroad have been generally appreciative of the efforts made by Government and the Summit organizers to consult them on this important initiative and to seek their involvement towards enhancing the success of the Summit programme.

They have viewed this process of dialogue as critical and indeed as a recognition of the capacity of Ghanaians living abroad to contribute to the advancement of the motherland.

Several views were expressed and suggestions made on the best way to harness the global Ghanaian resource potential for accelerated national development. It was the hope that, these and several other pertinent issues would be collectively and openly discussed on the floor of the Summit when it is convened.

In the desire to ensure that as many Ghanaians as possible attend this historic summit, the suggestion was made to reconsider shifting the date of the Summit to a more convenient time in July/August this year. The original date in May, (chosen essentially because of the availability of relatively lower airfares of the low travel season) was thought not to be that convenient since most Ghanaians living abroad would be working or in school.

In deference to this overwhelming expression and demand, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and the Summit Secretariat has decided to postpone the Summit to 23rd - 25th July 2001 to allow for Ghanaians in the diaspora to attend this first ever summit of Ghanaians living abroad.

The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and the Summit Secretariat wishes to use this opportunity to once again acknowledge the support that the Summit has received from Ghanaians living abroad and within as well as from friends of Ghana who have expressed the desire to contribute to the success of this important initiative.

ISSUED BY THE GHANA INVESTMENT PROMOTION CENTRE

ACCRA 2ND APRIL, 2001

FOR ANY FURTHER ENQUIRY CONTACT MESSRS. KWABENA ANTWI, DIRECTOR SUMMIT SECRETARIAT ON TELEPHONE NUMBER [233-21] 665125-9, FAX NUMBER [233-21] 663655, E-MAIL gipc@ghana.com OR AKUNU DAKE, SUMMIT COORDINATOR/CONSULTANT ON [233-21] 760441.