The Government has announced a forthcoming Diaspora National Service programme aimed at reconnecting young Ghanaians raised abroad with their cultural roots and encouraging their contribution to national development.
The initiative was revealed by Kofi Okyere-Darko, Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, during the inaugural Ghana Diaspora Students Forum 2026, a virtual event organised by NUGS-Germany in partnership with NUGS-UK and NUGS-China.
The programme will target pre-university diaspora youth, offering them a two-month immersion in Ghana’s culture and institutions before they return overseas to continue their education.
Mr. Okyere-Darko stressed that the government’s objective is not to compel students to return home permanently, but to ensure that Ghana remains a meaningful part of their professional lives wherever they settle.
He further noted a strategic reorientation in Ghana’s diaspora engagement, shifting from a focus on remittances and cultural ties toward knowledge transfer, innovation, entrepreneurship, research, and investment.
The forum also featured a keynote address by Daniel Amoateng of the Young Professionals Business Network, who urged participants to pursue purpose-driven leadership and networking, while other contributors called for enhanced collaboration between government, academia, industry, and Ghanaian students abroad.
NUGS-Germany President Patrick Sarpong concluded by announcing that a communiqué with recommendations would be presented to stakeholders, with hopes that the forum will become an annual event.
