Jamaican Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith visits Okuapemman

History made today in Okuapemman as Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, the minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade of Jamaica paid a momentous visit to Okuapemman and HRM Oseadeyo Kwasi Akuffo III as part of her state visit to Ghana.

Hon. Johnson Smith connected history by first paying tribute to the first Basel mission church the missionaries established, Christ Presby Church in Akropong Akuapem.

History has it on record that, their kinsmen were part of the missionaries to establish the church. The Jamaican missionary, John Hall from Irwin Hill, Montego Bay became the first presbyter of the church, when it was established in 1835.

She took the opportunity to meet some of her kinsmen who are descendants of John Hall at a short ceremony at Christ Presby Church, where they shared pleasantries and accompanied them to their first settlement Called Hanover Street here in Akropong.

Hon Kamina together with her kinsmen visited the grave yard of their fathers and finally ended the tour at the Akuffo descendants heritage.

An official ceremony was put together to welcome her, held at the Okuapehene’s palace.

Gracing this occasion was the former chief justice Her Lordship Sophia Abena Boafoa Akuffo, H. E. Esmond St Claire Reid (Jamaican High Commissioner to Ghana and Nigeria), Mr. Isaac Emmil Osei Bonsu (Honorary Consulate of Jamaica), and other dignitaries in attendance.

Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III Okuapehene, flanked by his Divisional Chiefs and elders welcomed Hon. Kamina where pleasantries were exchanged, discussed matters of common interest and used the opportunity to install her as the Queen of Tourism and Diaspora. She was given the name Nana Abena Otwiwa Asiedu.



Hon Kamina addressed the gathering by expressing how pleased she was to connect to history and to establish closer ties between Okuapemman and the Jamaican Diaspora.