Sam Pyne, Virginia Palmer Commission American Corner in Kumasi.
Nana Agyakomaa Difie (second left), Mampong-manhemaa with Sam Pyne, Kumasi Mayor and Virginia Palmer, US Ambassador (right) during commissioning of the American Corner Educational Space in Asokwa.
Kumasi Mayor, Hon Samuel Pyne on Wednesday joined the United States Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer to open an educational office at the Top Martins Complex in Asokwa.
The office popularly called the ‘American Corner’ is an establishment by the US Embassy to serve as a platform that seeks to build bridges between the people of Ghana and the United States.
Having commissioned two earlier ones at the US Embassy and Agbogba, all in Accra, the US Ambassador in an address said the space forms part of a global network of over 600 American Spaces in 140 countries.
She noted that as diverse as the communities where they are located, the common goal of the spaces is to create welcoming environments that have free and open access to learning more about the United States, including their people, culture and values.
‘’Our spaces are also learning centers that provide free resources like Wifi and computer access and engaging programs on diverse topics which include science and technology, women’s empowerment, studying in the United States and entrepreneurship programs’’, Ambassador Palmer stated.
Number Crunch:
The US Diplomat disclosed that the 2023 Open Doors Report mentioned that 6, 400 Ghanaian students studied in the United States last academic year.
This, she said represents more than 30% increase over the previous year.
The Ambassador further revealed that Ghana ?? ranks number 14 in the world for sending graduate students to the United States.
Choice of Ghana And Ashanti Region:
Madam Palmer noted that Ghana and the Ashanti Region were chosen for the opening of such educational spaces because the country’s young people are its greatest asset.
She said the US believes in empowering young Ghanaians to take the lead in shaping the future of Ghana and to deepen their friendship with the people of the United States.
Madam Palmer intimated that young people across Ghana were working every day to make a difference by promoting economic opportunity, political participation, public health and peace as well as community building.
‘’it is not by chance that we chose Kumasi as our first space outside of Accra because the Ashanti Region has often been called the heartland of West Africa, the home to important universities, businesses and even historic ties to the United Sates and therefore Kumasi and its people are an important priority’’, the Ambassador stated.
Kumasi Mayor :
In his succinct remarks, the Mayor for Kumasi, Hon Samuel Pyne welcomed the decision by the US government to open an educational space in Ashanti and specifically in Kumasi.
He noted that already the KMA had started a partnership with some US based universities with the latest one being Livingstone University.
The plan, the Mayor said, is to foster better cooperation between the schools for exchange programs and to create the opportunities for Ghanaian students to go for knowledge upgrades in the USA.
‘’It is heartwarming that we have this facility here to serve as a platform for education and empowerment and for the KMA we already have something going on where our polytechnics and universities have some partnerships with some US based schools such as the Johnson C Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina and Livingstone University, Salisbury-North Carolina for exchange programs and knowledge sharing’’ the Kumasi Mayor disclosed.
Present during the official commissioning was the Mamponghemaa, Nana Difie Agyakomaa, some foreign and Ghanaian students as well as some members of the public.
