Ghana: Ga Dangmes in Diaspora to Improve Health Delivery Ga Communities

Naa Norley

9 June 2011

Washington DC — Ga Dangmes in the United States of America and Canada at a conference of indigenes have conveyed plans to outline measures to improve the poor maternity delivery in South Eastern Ghana.

The conference was on the theme “Improving and upgrading clinics and maternity homes in the Ga rural areas.”

Reading this year’s report, the President of Ga Dangme International (GDI), Dr. Martey Dodoo, said the vision for the group was that every child-bearing mother receives appropriate medical services at a very affordable rate.

He said the mission of the GDI is to work and develop the underprivileged areas in the Ga rural communities, through education, health, housing, jobs, development projects and programmes.

He said the GDI was committed to creating a world in which the health status of the indigenes of Ga Dangme is improved upon.

According to him, over the last three decades, there has been substantial growth in diseases in Ga rural communities – the worst being maternal mortality.

He said the poor health status of the people of Accra and its surrounding villages had brought about high unemployment rates among the youth and old.

The President noted: “The indigenous people of South Eastern Ghana currently, do not have the wherewithal and adequate resources to change this trend, without help and assistance from privileged indigenes living in and outside the area.”

He said the vision of the GDI was to change the aforementioned trend by putting their strengths together to help reduce the high-ceiling rate to 15% by the close of the year.

Dr. Martey Dodoo said the GDI alone cannot achieve this, so the cooperation “is building community-based co-operative working relationships with all our partners and stakeholders, with respect for our diversity and strength in our united effort.”

Touching on the objectives of the GDI, Dr. Dodoo said they were in two folds – the first is to connect individuals and organisations who want to contribute funds, support and resources to effectively promote education, health housing and job development programmes for Ga Dangme indigenes.

The second, he noted was to coordinate and partner with development organisations to work and manage the activities of groups, associations, organisations, individuals and institutions “that also work in various ways to achieve our rapid development objective.”

Participants at this year’s conference came from Ga Dangme Europe, mainly the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden and Italy.

Gome, Otofo, Kpanlogo and numerous Ga traditions performed by the “Kome” or Unity Cultural Group added more colour to the conference.

In related development, founding members of the group were awarded for their outstanding contributions towards the sustainability of the group.

Some of the recipients of the awards were Dr. Benjamin Dodoo (New York branch), Mr. Eugene Kotey (Toronto branch), Samuel Nii Kwate Quartey, and Eric Quartey.

Others are Mrs. Evelyn Kotey, Reginald Darko, Mr. Ed Mettle, Emelia Coker, Mr. Eric Quartey, Isaac Nortey, Pat Nunoo, James Quarcoo Sarah Mills-Okaikoi and Ms. Betty Bannerman Thompson.

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