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Ambassador Alima Mahama visits Ghana C’nity Catholic Church in Alexandria, Virginia
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Hajia Alima Mahama, on Sunday, October 24, 2021, worshiped with the Ghana Community Catholic Church in Alexandria, Virginia, in the United States of America.
As part of her commitment to community engagement, she used that as an opportunity to introduce herself to the Ghanaian community as the new representative of the Government of Ghana.
to the glory of God
Nana Kofi Boateng (left), Chief of Bogyawe near Ashanti
Bekwai and Nana Obuor Gyau, Adumhene of Bechem
as Rev. Father Anthony Appiah
(inset) leads them in prayer
a photograph with her staff and
some church members
Otafrebuo Nana Kofi Boateng; Nana Obuor Gyau and Kwaku Manu, Mmranteehene of Washington DC Metro
president, welcoming Ambassador
Alima Mahama on her arrival
attentively to the sermon
Ambassador Hajia Alima Mahama expressed her appreciation to the various organised groups who had paid courtesy calls on her to welcome her to office.
She implored the congregation, during her address, to be law abiding citizens of the United States and encouraged Ghanaians to register with the embassy in order to be documented as people from Ghana.
The Ambassador spoke about the efforts being made to continuously improve consular services at the embassy, and proudly mentioned that the turnaround time for visa and passport acquisition, which had been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, had been tremendously improved.
She, however, stated that consular services were currently online and assured the congregation that a clear line of communication had been opened between the embassy and the Ghanaian Community, as such they should make it a point to patronise events at the Ghana Embassy when invited.
Her Excellency Hajia Mahama further spoke about investment opportunities available in Ghana and called on all Ghanaians in the United States as well as business partners to explore such opportunities by bringing investors to Ghana.
She was accompanied on the visit by Mrs. Ninnette Danquah-Ivo, the Minister- Counsellor for Diaspora Affairs and Mrs. Cynthia Djokoto, the Minister- Counsellor in charge of Trade.
Rev. Father Anthony Appiah, the Resident Minister, offered prayers for the Ambassador and her staff and asked the congregation to support her endeavours to enable her make an impact on her duty tour.
Mr. Julius Caesar, the Church President, also introduced the leadership of the Church to the Ambassador and expressed his appreciation to her for her visit.
Ambassador Hajia Alima Mahama, the first female Ambassador of Ghana to the United States, has made a firm commitment to engage all Ghanaians regardless of political and religious affiliation or social class.
She has pledged to be a mother to all.
From George Kwasi Bright, Alexandra, Virginia, USA
Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodioo Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, has assured the Accra Street Academy of his support in achieving its mission of uplifting vulnerable children within the community to break the cycle of poverty. “Without the needed support, your efforts may go round in circles due to the enormity of the task. This should not be left on the shoulders of the Academy alone. You need support from both government and the private sector. With that, the Academy would be in a good position to shape the future of these children on the streets,” he said.
The Accra Street Academy, originally formed in 1985 as a boxing arena, now serves as a school for deprived children, with most of its population numbering hundreds of pupils being neglected children from the streets of Jamestown and its environs. Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie made these remarks at the annual stakeholders’ meeting and fundraising event held over the weekend under the theme “Empowering Street Children: Health and Wellness.” The event is one of the Academy’s annual programmes, organized to raise funds and other forms of support to aid the school in catering to the needs of the children and holding its Christmas get-together.
According to the MP, it is worth noting that these children are taught and provided with two meals and a snack daily through the support of benevolent members of society. In view of this, he promised to facilitate the acquisition of documents needed for the construction of an Astroturf within the school’s premises. He noted that “every child has the right to play, and therefore I pledged to do my best to secure the needed documents” for the project to commence.
The legislator disclosed that over the years, the academic programmes of the Accra Street Academy have transformed children surviving on the streets into successful adults. He therefore urged other members of society to partner with the school to “help pupils rise higher for a better Ghana.” In the 2025/26 academic year, 22 pupils were absorbed by the Accra Metro Education Directorate as they transitioned into various Junior High Schools, while still returning to the Accra Street Academy for academic support.
Ms. Yvonne Abba-Opoku, a chartered governance advisor and senior executive in the nonprofit and charity sector, stated that the best gift to give a child was education.
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Mrs Regina Kudom, Senior Midwifery Officer at the New Atuabo Health Centre in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, has urged expectant mothers to attend antenatal clinic regularly for safe delivery.
She revealed that “in Tarkwa and its environs many pregnant women prefer staying at prayer camps, we are not against that, you can be there, but when your time is up for your antenatal session make sure you attend.”
Mrs Kudom gave the advice when the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) observed the World Prematurity Day with pregnant women at New Atuabo, Huniso and Awudua health centres.
World Prematurity Day falls on November 17, every year, and it is celebrated to raise awareness about the challenges faced by pre-term babies and their families.
She said research suggested that sex during pregnancy could soften the cervix and potentially aid in labour preparation.
“That is the reason why we encourage pregnant women to have sex with their partners, if they do not have any health implications,” she added.
Mrs Kudom appealed to the GFGF to upgrade the New Atuabo health centre as the current structure was too small because they received many patients daily.
Madam Ayishetu Mohammed, Project Coordinator for GFGF, explained that they received donations from Project C. U. R. E and the items were given to health facilities in their operational area.
She stated that they noticed there were baby dresses, sanitary pads, and baby apparel, so they decided to distribute them among expectant mothers in three of their host communities.
Madam Mohammed said because the foundation was interested in preventive care, they brought a midwife from the Tarkwa Mine hospital to educate the pregnant women.
She extolled the midwives in New Atuabo health centre for the education they gave to the pregnant women and implored them to heed to the advice given during antenatal visits to reduce maternal deaths in the Tarkwa Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley Municipalities.
Mr Paa Kwasi Egan, Deputy Chief Physician Assistance, emphasised that a pregnant woman being anemic meant she was not eating a balance diet, and added that, “Some of these women do not have money to buy food or visit antenatal clinics.”
He said when men follow their wives for antenatal visits, they would be educated extensively on why they should provide funds for their pregnant wives.
Mr Egan, therefore, encouraged all men to be involved in their pregnant wives’ antenatal care appointments so they could learn more about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. – GNA
