‘We have lots to be hopeful as a country’
March 10, 2017 By Ibrahim Tarawallie
MoneyGram in collaboration with the Ghanaian Professionals in Sierra Leone (GHAPSIL) on Monday (March 6, 2017) hosted a dinner at the Sierra Light House, Aberdeen in commemoration of Ghana’s 60th Independency anniversary.
The event brought together members of GHAPSIL, agents of the MoneyGram service and Ghanaians across the country to celebrate their country’s silver jubilee.
Head of Chancery and Acting Ghanaian High Commissioner in Sierra Leone, Ernest Yaw Amporful, told the gathering that as they look forward into a brighter future, they have lots to be hopeful of as a country.
He expressed fervent hope that under the distinguish leadership of the current president; Nana Akufor Addo, the ground would be fertile in order to be able to accomplish what they wanted.
According to him, the occasion in Ghana was marked with a match past which was graced by school children and the security, and that fourteen (14) Heads of States were in attendance to celebrate with them.
“We are grateful for that. For us as a country, we have a lot to be hopeful for. Even as we look forward into the future, we hope that under the distinguish leadership of our current president, the ground will be fertile to be able to accomplish what we hope for,” he said.
With regards bilateral relations with Sierra Leone, Mr. Amporful stated that relationship between the two countries dated back to colonial times in the field of education and other technical cooperation.
“Ghanaians were coming here to study and so our relations have been a very good one. Even today, we went to commission a school we renovated at Wilberforce. This shows the kind of relationship that exists between the two countries and we hope that it will get much better in years to come,” he assured.
He reckoned that their collaboration with MoneyGram was to look at ways to get Ghanaians residing in Sierra Leone to relate with home by sending money to family and loved ones.
While expressing hope that the collaboration would help in solving some of the challenges faced by Ghanaians in sending money back home, the acting High Commissioner thanked them for bringing Ghanaians together to celebrate the silver jubilee of their independence anniversary.
Also speaking was the President of GHAPSIL, Mark Kwaku Mintah, who commended MoneyGram for the collaboration and noted they were in the country to change lives.
He said the establishment of GHAPSIL was not only to unify Ghanaians in the country but to look after their civic and social responsibility back home as well.
“I am excited about the partnership with MoneyGram. Let say that at 60, we as Ghanaians no longer need to make excuses. We have to reap what we sow,” he said, while urging Ghanaians who were yet to be part of GHAPSIL to join.
Managing Director of Premier Media Consultancy, Dr. Julius Spencer, spoke about a promotion by MoneyGram, which, he said was currently ongoing and designed for Ghanaians as they go about celebrating their 60th Independence anniversary.
He explained that Ghanaians stand the chance of winning six (6) brand new Suzuki cars and other fabulous consolation prizes if they received money from their families and loved ones abroad.
“When a transaction is done in one of the banks operating the services, a scratch card is given and for every scratch card, there is a prize. MoneyGram is an international money transfer service and it is safe, reliable and no risk using the service,” he said.