Ghana’s diplomatic footprint in Africa has received a significant boost with the official commissioning of a new Ghana Embassy Chancery in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

President John Dramani Mahama performed the commissioning ceremony recently in a move that demonstrates Ghana’s commitment to deepening its presence at the heart of African diplomacy.

The new chancery, located in the Ethiopian capital which serves as the headquarters for the African Union, is set to enhance Ghana’s ability to engage with continental bodies and fellow member states.

The development provides modern facilities for diplomatic staff and projects a renewed image of Ghana on the continent.

This move signals a strategic focus on strengthening bilateral relations with Ethiopia and reinforcing Ghana’s role in pan-African affairs.

The improved infrastructure is expected to facilitate more effective diplomatic engagement, trade negotiations, and cultural exchanges.

The commissioning event was attended by Ghanaian and Ethiopian officials, as well as representatives from the African Union, marking a significant milestone in Ghana’s foreign mission infrastructure.

An Accra Circuit Court has delivered an unprecedented judgment, ordering a businessman in his 60s to pay GH¢200,000 (a little over $18,000 USD) to his former partner for breaching a promise to marry her.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Sedinam Kwadam, highlights the legal weight such promises can carry in long-term cohabitation and the application of equity in property disputes.

Background of the Case
The dispute arose from an 11-year relationship between the businessman and the woman, which lasted from 2013 to 2024. The legal battle began when the businessman filed a suit to eject his former partner from a two-bedroom apartment in East Legon, which he claimed was solely his property.

However, court evidence revealed a more complex story. At the start of their relationship, the property was under construction. While the businessman, who was not resident in Ghana at the time, remitted funds, the woman actively supervised and managed the construction project for four years. By 2017, the apartment was completed, and she moved in at his request. He later joined her upon returning to Ghana.

The Countersuit and Evidence
In response to the ejectment suit, the woman filed a countersuit, asserting that the businessman had promised to marry her—a promise that influenced her major life decisions, including leaving her previous residence. Her evidence included:

• The businessman was presented as an in-law during her father’s funeral, contributed financially, and wrote a tribute.
• He gave her a ring, which she argued was a symbol of commitment, not a casual gift.
• Her extensive role as a foreman on the construction project for four years.

She sought relief including $40,000 USD for breach of promise, the right to remain in the apartment, and retention of a Toyota RAV4 allegedly purchased for her.

Court’s Findings and Judgment
Justice Kwadam found overwhelming evidence that a promise to marry did exist. The ring, long-term cohabitation, public recognition as family, and her significant contributions to the property all pointed to a clear intention to commit.

The court determined the businessman’s termination of the relationship in 2024 constituted a breach. A key factor was the age of both parties—over 60—which the court noted reduced the woman’s prospects of finding another partner after such a long-term commitment.

Applying principles of equity, Justice Kwadam ruled that while the businessman held legal title to the property, the woman held a beneficial interest in the two-bedroom unit due to her substantial contributions. Her right to remain in the apartment was therefore upheld, and the ejectment suit was dismissed.

For the breach of promise to marry, the court awarded GH¢50,000 in general damages and GH¢150,000 in compensation, totaling GH¢200,000. The woman was also allowed to retain the Toyota RAV4, as it was not specifically claimed by the businessman, and was awarded GH¢20,000 in legal costs.

Justice Kwadam’s full reasoning is expected to be published on February 24, 2026, which will provide further legal insight into the creation of the constructive trust and the compensation award.

In August 2020, as the world grappled with a pandemic and a long-overdue racial reckoning, a speech by Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao cut through the noise.

The message was for the African diaspora, and it remains urgently relevant today. Her words were a clarion call for return, but with a critical, non-negotiable condition: a radical shift in attitude.

As Ghana’s “Year of Return” momentum evolved into the “Beyond the Return” initiative, and as other African nations opened their doors, Dr. Chihombori-Quao, the former African Union Permanent Representative to the U.S., identified a silent threat to the homecoming dream: the ego of the returnee.

The ‘Been-To’ Mentality: A Barrier to Building

Dr. Chihombori-Quao didn’t mince words. She spoke directly to the experience of being a “been-to,” a term used in Ghana for someone who has “been to” the West.

“We go back home with an attitude. We think just because we’ve been to, we know more than the ones at home. That attitude has got to change,” she stated.

This mindset, she argued, is a primary reason why many returnees struggle to find their footing. It creates an invisible wall, fostering a dynamic of superiority that alienates the very people essential for collaboration.

Whether it’s a continental African returning from the diaspora or an African American settling on the continent, the pitfall is the same: arriving as a lecturer, not a learner.

“The diaspora doesn’t return to lecture. And the continent doesn’t wait to be saved,” her comments remind us. The assumption that Western exposure equates to superior knowledge is not only incorrect, but it also erases the deep, contextual expertise held by those who never left. As she put it plainly, “Africans have a lot to teach you too.”

Solidarity, Not Superiority: The Partnership Paradigm

The core of her message is a redefinition of the returnee’s role. It is not about a heroic figure arriving to “save” Africa, a narrative steeped in colonial tropes. Instead, it is about showing up as an equal partner. “Going ‘back home’ isn’t about superiority, it’s about solidarity,” the sentiment encapsulates.

This means approaching every interaction with humility. It means listening to local entrepreneurs, understanding community needs, and respecting established systems. A returnee’s international expertise in finance, technology, or healthcare is invaluable, but it only becomes powerful when it is applied in partnership with local knowledge. The goal is to co-create solutions, not impose imported ones.

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The Urgency of Organisation: A Space to Fill

Dr. Chihombori-Quao’s 2020 address also carried a stark warning about the geopolitical and economic realities of a rising Africa. She recalled a moment when President Trump addressed African leaders, mocking the paradox of a resource-rich continent with widespread poverty. The punchline was a call to action: Africa is open for business, and if the diaspora does not organize, others will.

“If you don’t show up and you stand up and be counted, next time the contracts go to the Chinese, shut up,” she asserted. This frames diaspora engagement not as a charitable endeavour, but as a strategic imperative. It is about claiming a seat at the table as the continent charts its own developmental agenda—an agenda that envisions Africa as a unified market, not 54 fragmented nations.

For decades, other global powers have filled the space. The question she poses is whether the diaspora will remain a bystander or become a primary stakeholder in Africa’s future. “How do we give you contracts when we don’t know where you are? How do we know about your business when you don’t stand up?” she challenged.

Coming Home to Build Together

The ultimate takeaway from Dr. Chihombori-Quao’s enduring message is that the call to “come home” is profound, but the manner of arrival is what determines success. It is a call to come home and build together.

This means rejecting the labels of “been-to” and “local” that divide. It means exchanging condescension (looking down on local opinions) for contribution and pride for partnership.

The opportunity before the diaspora is immense. As Africa takes its place on the world stage, it invites its sons and daughters abroad to be part of the journey—not as saviours on a pedestal, but as humble collaborators in the trenches.

Because when we divide ourselves, as her words imply, we weaken the very future we claim to care about. And that is a risk the African renaissance cannot afford.