Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban S. K. Bagbin, has challenged the Ewe diaspora to leverage its extensive cultural and social networks to drive investment, economic development and improved livelihoods in Ghana.
According to the Speaker, the Ewe diaspora must move beyond sending remittances to relatives and communities and focus increasingly on creating sustainable wealth, businesses and employment opportunities in Ghana.
“You have shown that culture should not only bring people together to celebrate. It can also bring people together to develop,” Speaker Bagbin said.
He made the call as Special Guest of Honour at celebrations marking the 33rd anniversary of the Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) in Washington, DC.
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Speaker Bagbin commended CEANA for its contribution to Ghana since its establishment in 1993, particularly in education, healthcare and community development.
He noted that the association has supported scholarships and contributed to the construction of schools, libraries and other community facilities in Ghana.
However, he urged CEANA and the wider Ewe diaspora to deliberately connect their extensive networks to investment and development opportunities in the country.
He said the diaspora network could provide an important platform for traditional leaders and other stakeholders to engage investors, universities, healthcare institutions, technology companies and development partners.
Such partnerships, he noted, could help unlock opportunities in key sectors including agriculture, tourism, infrastructure and enterprise development.
The Member of the Council of State representing the Volta Region, H.E. Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple, reinforced the Speaker’s call, urging the Ewe diaspora to translate its strong connection to Ghana into measurable and transformative development.
He called for greater unity among traditional, political and community leaders, stressing that the development potential of the Volta Region could only be fully realised through collective action.
Mr Kwamigah-Atokple said young people across the region need practical opportunities, including jobs, mentorship, access to markets, technology and functioning institutions.
He cautioned against repeatedly telling young people that the region has enormous potential without creating the structures and opportunities needed to convert that potential into tangible economic benefits.
The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Asiama, also urged Ghanaians living abroad to play a greater role in transforming remittances into long-term productive investments.
He said Ghana’s recent economic stabilisation has created a stronger foundation for diaspora investment.
“Stability is not the destination; it is the foundation,” Dr Asiama said.
He encouraged the diaspora to help channel the US$7.8 billion in remittances recorded in 2025 into businesses, agriculture, technology and other productive sectors capable of generating sustainable wealth and employment.
Dr Asiama highlighted the formalisation of International Money Transfer Operators, the Remit2Invest strategy, and the Diaspora Engagement and Remittance Facilitation Office as mechanisms designed to support structured diaspora investment.
He said these initiatives could help move remittances beyond immediate consumption and towards long-term wealth creation.
The CEANA anniversary gathering brought together prominent Ghanaian personalities, including former Ghana High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Victor Smith; Deputy Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations, H.E. Ben Dotsei Malor; Members of Parliament and other dignitaries.
The event provided a platform to reflect on the contribution of the Ewe diaspora to Ghana while highlighting the need for stronger links between cultural networks, diaspora capital, and national development.