Ghana High Commission in UK resumes full operation after months of lockdown

The Ghana High Commission for the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland has resumed full operation after locking down for months due to the global Coronavirus pandemic.

Last year, the Commission had to close down in the midst of the pandemic that called for a lockdown in the UK to curb the spread of the virus.

Despite the lockdown for close to a year, the Commission has always been available to attend to the needs of Ghanaians in the diaspora via digital means.

Finally, with the gradual easing of restrictions in the United Kingdom, the Commission has now lifted its lockdown as it resumes full operations.

This has been confirmed by H.E Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Ghana's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

“The purpose of this meeting is to apprise you of what is going on in the High Commission. Of course, you are aware that we have resumed full operations”

“The foreign, commonwealth and development office is not operating fully. We are encouraging staff to work from home if it is possible but I dare say that we are looking forward to the Prime Minister’s announcement on the 19th on the restrictions and we may then proceed to have a sense of normalcy,” H.E Papa Owusu-Ankomah told Ghanaians in the Diaspora during a virtual engagement on Saturday, July 10, 2021.

Engaging Ghanaians in the diaspora that joined the virtual engagement, the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland said his outfit is eager to serve to the satisfaction of everyone.

Describing as excitement his redeployment to serve as the High Commissioner for another term alongside Madam Rita Tani Iddi as his Deputy High Commissioner, H.E Papa Owusu-Ankomah also stressed that the Commission plans to engage Ghanaians in the diaspora to educate traders and entrepreneurs on opportunities available in the UK.

“Nothing really has changed, except that I’m urging all Ghanaian entrepreneurs who are based in the United Kingdom to be bold and import Ghanaian products.

"We are trying to make trade relations easy for us. The UK has no problem bringing in goods to Ghana and it should be the same for us,” he said.

He said to help President Akufo-Addo achieve a Ghana Beyond Aid, Ghanaians in the diaspora will have a lot to do in the area of trade.

According to H.E Papa Owusu-Ankomah, it will mean there must be more export of Ghanaian products to the UK which is one of the country's major trading partners

“….you are also here. Many of you are dual citizens, you know the systems, I am encouraging you to lead the way in expanding the level of trade between the United Kingdom and Ghana so that we will earn more than we are earning now and that will also to a great extent stabilize our currency with regards to other international currencies,” the Ghana High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland told Ghanaians in the diaspora.