Open D.O.O.R. Dialogues – Inaugural National Dialogue

Registration and cultural welcome

Arrival, registration and welcome performances alongside registration.

The formal opening began at 9:00 a.m.

Exhibitions, networking and debate preparation

11:27–11:45: exhibitions, networking and opportunity-fair engagement.

11:45–12:00: debate seating and preparation in the same hall. The debate was held indoors.

Indoor Debate: Should I Stay or Should I Japa?

An informal, seated exchange of ideas between three contributors on each side.

Student and repatriate perspectives on staying, returning and building opportunities at home.

• Dr Nana Yaw Mireku Yeboah — Stay-side contributor.
• Kwaku Darko Ankrah — Doctoral Candidate; The Debate.
• Nana Kwaku Agyemang Prempeh — stay-side contributor.
• Mr Paul Nuamah — student debater; Should I Stay or Should I Japa?
• Miss Richeal Nyameye Mensah — student debater; Should I Stay or Should I Japa?
• Benedict Yenupang Bonga — President, History Students Association, Legon (HISTAL); student debater.
• Webnation / Hayford Budu-Darko (Captain Hayford) — lead debate moderator and Webnation coordination.

The debate began at 12 noon and concluded at 12:45 p.m.

Lived experience and student opportunities

Moderator: Prof Cyrelene Amoah-Boampong

A conversation about returning, belonging and building opportunities at home, with repatriate perspectives followed by a student-focused exchange.

12:45–13:00 · Repatriate perspectives

• Ivy Prosper, Founder Prosper Creative Group — repatriate perspectives.
• Hayford Budu-Darko (Captain Hayford) — Webnation Africa; repatriate perspectives.
• Dre Taylor — repatriate perspectives.
• Ayana Partee
  CEO & Executive Director, Akuakrom Development Project — repatriation, enterprise and community development.
• Elizabeth Olympio-Emanuel
  Entrepreneurship, hospitality and building home.

13:00–13:15 · Student pathways and practical opportunities

• Dr Kwabena Opoku-Agyemang
• Nannette Atuahene — Founder, On Our Watch Global; Co-Founder, Converge 4 Africa.

Lunch, vendor break and exhibitions

Visit food vendors and partner exhibitions, receive career guidance and referrals from the University of Ghana Careers and Counselling Directorate, and explore entrepreneurship, student artworks and products with the Innovation Enclave.

Policy Plenary One: Diaspora diplomacy, entry, status, citizenship and belonging

Moderator: Prof Daniel Kipo-Sunyehzi

Practical routes for return and residence; citizenship and integration; Ghana’s missions and consular referrals; Pan-African belonging; reparative justice; and diaspora skills, networks, investment and development partnerships.

• DCOI Patrick Bressey Esq. — Ghana Immigration Service, National Enforcement, Accra; senior representative for the Entry and Citizenship Plenary.
• Mrs Eunice Baidoo-Amponsah — Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Diaspora Affairs Bureau.
• Dr Nana Yaw Mireku Yeboah — discussant.

13:30–14:20: opening contributions. 14:20–14:35: moderated discussion and audience questions.

Tourism, heritage, enterprise and housing

Individual addresses on practical opportunities for return, livelihoods and building home.

• 14:35–14:45 · Prof Kobby Mensah — Ghana Tourism Development Company.
• 14:45–14:55 · Hon. Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui — Deputy Minister, Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources.
• 14:55–15:00 · Prof Esi Sutherland-Addy
  PANAFEST — heritage, culture and return.
• 15:00–15:05 · Rabbi Kohain Nathanya Halevi
  PANAFEST — diaspora connection and cultural homecoming.

15:05–15:10: transition to the land and housing discussion.

Land, housing, property and safe settlement

Due diligence, affordability, renting, homeownership, community integration and reliable institutional referral routes.

Moderator: Nataki Kambon
15:10–15:13 · Opening perspective — housing, settlement and building home.

• 15:13–15:23 · Mr Emmanuel Jeffrey / Real Estate Agency Council — property transactions, due diligence and safe settlement.
• 15:23–15:29 · Mr Samuel Blebu — Department of Community Development — Deputy Director and Head of Skills Development and Livelihoods / Coordinator, Diaspora Community Partnership Programme.
• 15:29–15:35 · Surv. Daniel Hammond, Broll — representing the Ghana Institution of Surveyors.
• Mr Fredrick Opoku / Rent Control Department — rental rights and responsibilities, dispute resolution and practical guidance.
• Lands Commission — land administration, property rights and due diligence.
• National Homeownership Fund — homeownership and housing finance.

15:35–15:45: practical questions and institutional referrals.

Investment, Enterprise and Jobs: Institutional Roundtable

Moderator: Dr Gertrude Aba Mansah Eyifa-Dzidzienyo

A moderated conversation with institutional representatives on investment, exports, entrepreneurship and jobs, focused on practical routes for students, Ghana-based professionals and returning entrepreneurs.

• Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) — investment facilitation, establishing enterprises and investor support.
• Prof Kobby Mensah, Ghana Tourism Development Company — tourism enterprise and opportunities.
• 16:00–16:05 · Ambassador Millie Tucker — Black Agenda / diaspora-partnership goodwill remarks.
• Mr Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur / Ghana Export Promotion Authority — export opportunities and enterprise development.
• Mr Wamkele Mene / AfCFTA Secretariat — regional trade and market access.
• Mr Edwin Andoh Baffour / SIC Insurance PLC — insurance and enterprise risk protection.
• 16:05–16:10 · Ras Aswad Nkrabea — remarks representing The Black Agenda on the Black Agenda and Ghana–Caribbean relations.

Guided questions, practical institutional responses and audience discussion, concluding with clear next steps and contact routes. 16:15–16:20: final questions and transition.

Action Agenda and closing

16:20–16:40 · Accra Open D.O.O.R. Action Agenda

Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé Kambon, Prof Joseph Awetori Yaro and rapporteurs — a synthesis of the day’s discussions, practical commitments and next steps.

16:40–16:55 · Vote of thanks and closing libation

Vote of thanks: Nataki Kambon.
Closing libation: Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé Kambon.
Programme leads and co-MCs support the closing sequence.

16:55–17:00 · Networking and media engagement

Participants and partners. The daytime programme concluded at 5:00 p.m.