Ghana’s ambassador to the US, Victor Smith, told diaspora investors to contact him directly if they face bureaucratic hurdles when trying to do business in Ghana, as the government seeks to turn overseas Ghanaian capital into a more reliable source of investment.
Smith made the appeal during an open forum with Ghanaian professionals and community stakeholders in Savannah, Georgia, where participants raised concerns about difficulties securing meetings with key government officials and navigating processes required to advance commercial projects.
“Call me personally when you fail to meet the right people, that’s why I’m here,” Smith said.
Participants pressed the envoy on governance, economic direction and the practical barriers that diaspora-led businesses encounter when attempting to invest in Ghana. Smith said the country’s economic direction and the role of the diaspora in national development are mutually exclusive, and urged those facing challenges to reach out to him for support.
The meeting cited the gap between Ghana’s public messaging on diaspora investment and the day-to-day obstacles that investors say can delay or derail projects, including access to decision-makers and clarity on procedures.
Ghana has repeatedly pitched the diaspora as a strategic economic asset, encouraging remittances, business partnerships and direct investment. Remittance inflows remain one of Ghana’s most stable sources of foreign exchange, even as it works to strengthen external balances and sustain a fragile recovery.
The ambassador said the mission would continue its outreach efforts to ensure Ghanaian perspectives abroad are incorporated into national discourse and to strengthen ties between the diplomatic mission and Ghanaian communities in the US.
The discussion, held in an informal dining setting, formed part of Ghana’s broader push to deepen diaspora engagement and position overseas citizens as partners in national development.
