General News of Friday, 28 June 2019
Source: citinewsroom.com
2019-06-28
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has slashed the cost of acquiring visa on arrival in Ghana from 150 dollars to 75 dollars.
This forms part of the ‘Year of Return’ program aimed at providing an avenue for Africans in the Diaspora to return to their land of origin.
The Ministry has also facilitated the composition of steering committees both locally and abroad to ensure speedy issuance of visas to Ghana.
“This Ministry is working with the appropriate MDAs towards addressing the inconveniences in obtaining visa for travelling to Ghana to participate in the various events of the Year of Return. For instance, fees for visas on arrival have been reduced from $150 to $75,” Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Charles Owiredu said.
The ‘Year of Return’ marks 400 years since some Black Africans and Ghanaians for that matter were shipped as slaves to foreign lands.
A lot of activities have been lined up by the government of Ghana to celebrate 400 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Some include the Black History Month with the African American Association of Ghana, Back2Africa Festival, Ghana Independence Day Celebration, The Pan African Student Summit, JaGha Reggae Festival and Heritage Paragliding Festival in Kwahu.
Others are Black Prophet Homecoming Celebration, PANAFEST, GOD BOX Spiritual Pilgrimage, Chale Wote, Afrochella, among others.
The Ghana Tourism Authority, and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, are coordinating the year-long calendar of activities in “celebration of the resilience of the African spirit”.
This is being done in partnership with the Office of Diaspora Affairs in the Office of the President, the Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival (Panafest) Foundation and The Adinkra Group.
