Mahama would have traded 'Year of Return' for GITMO 2 - Wontumi

The thousands of diasporans trooping to Ghana to experience the Year of Return, wouldn't have come in their numbers if the declaration had been made by former President Mahama's government, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party has asserted.

Instead of promoting and marketing Ghana, Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako claims a government of John Mahama would have traded that for the importation of two terrorists popularly referred to as GITMO 2.

Some years ago, a section of the Ghanaian public raised security concerns when the government of former President Mahama decided to accept two Yemenis, Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby.

According to Mr. Antwi-Boasiako also known as Chairman Wontumi, such a move by John Mahama could have easily attracted terrorists into the country but he "cared less about the citizens, his only concern was the papers that filled his pocket".

The NPP Chairman further remarked that it takes an experienced leader like President Akufo-Addo to market Ghana and make it the number one tourist destination point in the world.

"In my candid opinion, if JM had declared this year as the Year of Return, the Diasporaians wouldn't have shown up".

Even the guinea fowls (akonfems) that flew from Ghana to Burkina Faso under his watch wouldn't have even returned. If his own Burkinabe akonfems wouldn't come, how much more people from the diaspora?", he quizzed.

Chairman Wontumi, was speaking on the positive effect the Year of Return has had on Ghana's economy and how it has marketed the country to the world.

According to the NPP Chairman, "it is only a blessing that the Year of Return declaration was made under President Akufo-Addo.

If this declaration had been made under former President Mahama, majority of Diasporaians who have come here today would have given it a second thought and never stepped here. Some of them would have considered it as an online scam from the government of Ghana."

Last Friday, President Akufo-Addo, launched the “Beyond the Return, The Diaspora Dividend” Initiative, at a brief ceremony at the Kempisnki Hotel in Accra.

As the ‘Year of Return’ draws to a close, President Akufo-Addo stated that the rationale of ‘Beyond the Return’ is to “engage Africans in the diaspora and all persons of African descent more positively in areas such as trade and investment co-operation, and skills and knowledge development”.