Ghana must move beyond relying on diaspora remittances and develop stronger partnerships that harness the skills, networks and expertise of its citizens abroad, Member of the Council of State Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple has said.
Addressing the 2026 Conference of the Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) in Maryland, Kwamigah-Atokple said the Ewe diaspora, in particular, represented a significant pool of professional and institutional expertise that could help accelerate development in Ghana and the Volta Region.
He said the diaspora included professionals across medicine, academia, engineering, law, technology, finance, research and entrepreneurship whose knowledge and international networks could be deployed to strengthen institutions and expand economic opportunities in Ghana.
“We can live here and still build there. We can succeed here and still create opportunities there,” he told conference participants.
Kwamigah-Atokple called for the establishment of structured channels through which professionals in North America could provide technical expertise, mentorship and other forms of support to institutions and businesses in Ghana without having to relocate permanently.
He also urged Ghanaian authorities and development stakeholders to prepare credible, investment-ready projects capable of attracting capital from the diaspora, with particular attention to opportunities in the Volta Region.
The Council of State member further proposed stronger partnerships between universities in North America and Ghanaian institutions, including research collaborations, academic exchanges and knowledge-transfer programmes.
He said successful entrepreneurs and business professionals in the diaspora could also play a greater role in mentoring young entrepreneurs in Ghana, helping them build capacity, establish sustainable enterprises and create jobs.
According to Kwamigah-Atokple, the relationship between Ghana and its diaspora should be assessed not only by the volume of remittances sent home but also by the institutions strengthened, businesses created, jobs generated and expertise transferred.
He challenged CEANA members to identify potential investors, universities, professional networks, technology partners and business opportunities within their communities that could be linked to development initiatives in Ghana.
“The question is not simply how much we send home, but what we can build together,” he said.
He described CEANA as a strategic platform for converting the longstanding ties between Ewe communities in North America and Ghana into practical partnerships with measurable economic and social impact.
The remarks come as the CEANA conference brings together members of the Ewe diaspora and other stakeholders to discuss issues affecting the community and explore new avenues for collaboration between Ewe communities abroad and development institutions in Ghana.
For the Volta Region, the proposed approach could help tap the diaspora as a source of capital and as a partner in technology transfer, innovation, institutional development, and job creation.
