JICA volunteers deepen Ghana-Japan ties through service
Thirty-two Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) serving in Ghana under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) yesterday paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem, as part of efforts to deepen Ghana-Japan relations through volunteerism, knowledge-sharing and cultural exchange.
The visit also provided an opportunity for the volunteers to share their experiences and contributions to communities across the country as Ghana and Japan prepare to mark the 50th anniversary of the JICA volunteer programme in Ghana in 2027.
The Chief Representative of the JICA Ghana Office, Mr Takayuki Uchiyama, who led the delegation in Accra, said the volunteer programme represented grassroots cooperation between the peoples of Ghana and Japan and had helped to build strong bonds of trust between the two countries.
He said more than 1,550 Japanese volunteers had served in Ghana over the past five decades, working alongside their Ghanaian counterparts in health, education, agriculture, sports and community development.
Mr Uchiyama said the first nine volunteers arrived in Ghana in August 1977, adding that the programme had since expanded in response to requests from the government and non-governmental organisations.
Although volunteer assignments normally lasted two years, he said the experiences and relationships built with host communities often endured for decades.
The Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Japan, Mr Naoki Mitori, said 2027 would be a significant year for Ghana-Japan relations as the two countries prepared to celebrate three major milestones.
They include the 50th anniversary of the JICA volunteer programme in Ghana, the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ghana and Japan, and the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the renowned Japanese physician and bacteriologist, Dr Hideyo Noguchi, in Ghana
Mr Mitori said 1,577 Japanese volunteers had so far served in Ghana, contributing to development in education, healthcare, agriculture, sports and community development.
He said the volunteers had not only shared their knowledge and expertise with their Ghanaian counterparts but had also learned from Ghanaian culture, food, language and experiences.
Mr Mitori described the volunteers as goodwill ambassadors who had helped deepen mutual understanding and strengthen the bonds of trust between Ghana and Japan.
Responding to the delegation, Mr Ampem commended the volunteers for leaving their homes to live and work with Ghanaian communities and assured them of the Ministry’s full participation in activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the programme.
He recalled being taught Mathematics by a JICA volunteer while in Junior Secondary School, saying he considered himself a beneficiary of the programme.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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