Minority MPs Hold Talks With Ghana's High Commissioner in Canada on Diaspora Welfare and Development
A delegation from the Minority caucus in Parliament has held high-level discussions with Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, Professor Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh, focusing on diaspora welfare, national development priorities, and the strengthening of bilateral relations between Ghana and Canada.
The Members of Parliament, who are in Canada for a capacity-building programme, paid a courtesy call on the High Commissioner at her official residence in Ottawa. The engagement offered legislators a platform to gain first-hand insight into the experiences and concerns of Ghanaians living abroad and to explore avenues for deeper cooperation between the two countries.
Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the MP who led discussions during the visit, said the meeting provided a valuable opportunity to examine how Parliament can help address the challenges facing Ghanaian communities overseas while advancing the country’s broader development agenda.
“This interaction is important in connecting policymakers with the realities confronting Ghanaians living overseas,” Mr Shaib said after the meeting. He expressed appreciation to Professor Edu-Buandoh for what he described as a warm reception and fruitful engagement.
The discussions also explored opportunities to strengthen the longstanding relationship between Ghana and Canada, particularly in areas that could support the country’s economic and social development. For many in the diaspora, the quality of engagement between their host country’s diplomatic missions and visiting lawmakers can shape policy outcomes that directly affect their livelihoods, from remittance regulations to consular services.
Mr Shaib commended Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin for sponsoring the parliamentary training programme, noting that such initiatives enhance MPs’ capacity and expose them to international best practices in governance and public service. Afenyo-Markin has been a consistent advocate for parliamentary strengthening, having also been announced as a speaker at the upcoming African Governance and Anti-Corruption Summit in Accra, where governance reform across the continent is expected to dominate discussions.
The visit forms part of a broader training programme aimed at strengthening MPs’ knowledge, skills, and effectiveness in carrying out their legislative, representative, and oversight responsibilities. Ghana’s diaspora, estimated at several million spread across North America, Europe, and other parts of Africa, remains a critical constituency whose economic contributions through remittances consistently rank among the country’s top foreign exchange earners.
The engagement underscores a growing recognition among Ghanaian lawmakers that effective diaspora policy requires sustained dialogue between elected representatives and the communities they serve abroad. With Canada home to a significant and growing Ghanaian population, the Ottawa meeting signals an intent to deepen institutional ties that benefit both nations.
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