Envoy predicts Ghana’s economic independence

The Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Stig Barlyng, says with the rapid economic growth in the country, Ghana should be able to take care of its devel­opment in the next 10 years without recourse to foreign assistance.

He observed that Ghana was now a beacon of democracy and development in Africa and the entire world was watching its development with keen interest.

Addressing a forum of Ghanaian and Danish History teachers at the University of Ghana, Legon, last Monday, Mr Bar­lyng said in view of Ghana’s rapid eco­nomic growth, it was imperative for Ghana and Denmark to move their bilater­al relationship beyond development co-operation to commercial and cultural co­operation.

He said the relationship should be one in which Ghanaian business interests would invest in Denmark, while their Danish counterparts also invested in Ghana.

The roundtable, on the theme, “Our shared history and heritage: Teaching, researching and advocacy in contempo­rary Ghana and Denmark”, was organised by the Historical Society of Ghana (HSG), in collaboration with the History Teachers Association of Denmark and the Culture, Education and Technology Network (CETNET).

Under the sponsorship of the Royal Danish Embassy in Accra, the roundtable formed part of activities lined up for 32 Danish History teacher who are on a one ­week visit to Ghana to exchange notes with their Ghanaian counterparts and also learn more about Ghana’s history and her­itage.

The aim is to enhance the teaching of History by teachers in both countries and deepen the long-standing relations between Ghana and Denmark which date back to the 17th century.

Denmark has strong connections with Ghanaian history in many respects, one of the most memorable being Denmark’s engagement in the obnoxious slave trade in which thousands of Gold Coasters were shipped to the American Virgin Island to work on plantations.

On the flip side, however, before pack­ing out of the Gold Coast in 1850, Den­mark left a bold imprint on the historical heritage of the country, the most pro­nounced being the Christianborg Castle at Osu, which has been the seat of govern­ment since British colonial rule.

In the post-independence era, Den­mark has remained a faithful friend of Ghana in its development aspirations, with the Danish International Develop­ment Agency (DANIDA) sprinkling hun­dreds of development projects across the country, earning it a household name in the countryside especially.

Mr Barlyng said in order to strengthen the stability and democratic development in Ghana, there was the need to have a profound understanding of history.

Sharing some perspectives on “Media, history and international relations”, the Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, said, “A people without the knowledge of history are an endangered species.”

He said the learning of History had tremendously shaped his life as a journalist and diplomat and noted that many journalists were currently abusing press freedom simply because they did not know the history of the media in Ghana.

Mr Blay-Amihere said he had cautioned journalists on many occasions that the best way to protect the media freedom currently being enjoyed in the country, is to be responsible, failing which the country could return to the days of media repression.

The President of the HSG, Professor Irene Odotei stressed the need to preserve the common heritage and history of Ghana and Denmark.

She spoke about an initiative to under­take, exchange programmes between Ghanaian and Danish History teachers to enhance their understanding and teaching of the subject.

Source: Daily Graphic

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