Bank of Ghana (BoG) Governor Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama has called on Ghanaians in the United States to see themselves not merely as senders of remittances but as active co-builders of Ghana’s economy, describing the diaspora as strategic assets whose value extends well beyond money transfers.
Dr. Asiama made the remarks at a high-level roundtable in Virginia on April 19, 2026, held under the theme “The Central Bank Bridge: Remit2Invest.” The event, convened at the Hilton Alexandria Mark, brought together Ghanaian professionals in the US alongside technical experts from the BoG, representatives of commercial banks, and officials from the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC).
The Governor described the diaspora as playing three distinct roles in supporting Ghana’s economy: as a reliable source of foreign exchange inflows, as a channel for technology transfer and innovation, and as a bridge to global capital markets. He said Ghana’s development strategy must intentionally harness all three.
“The diaspora is not peripheral to our economy. It is actually central to our investment strategy and our economic transformation,” Dr. Asiama said, adding that diaspora capital could become a dependable source of national wealth, including during periods of global economic uncertainty.
Dr. Asiama pointed to the United States as Ghana’s single-largest remittance source, making the engagement strategically significant. The Remit2Invest initiative is aimed at directing diaspora funds into productive sectors such as infrastructure, fintech, healthcare, and agribusiness, rather than household consumption alone.
The BoG is developing financial instruments specifically tailored to diaspora investors, including diaspora bonds and collective investment schemes, alongside measures to reduce friction in cross-border financial transactions and strengthen regulatory transparency to build trust.
The roundtable forms part of a broader diaspora engagement drive the BoG launched earlier this year, which also included a summit in London and plans for a nationwide remittance roadshow.
