Addressing attendees at the King’s Birthday celebration in Accra, she praised Ghana’s recent strides in gender equality, especially with the passing of the Affirmative Action and Gender Equality Act, which aims for 40% of public offices to be held by women.

“Ghana took a historic step by passing the Affirmative Action and Gender Equality Act into law, setting a goal of 40% of public offices to be held by women,” Ms. Thompson stated.

She noted that both Ghana and the UK were advancing toward greater gender representation, with the recent UK parliamentary elections seeing an all-time high of 40% women MPs.

“There’s no reason why this figure can’t be 50% or higher in the future,” she added, expressing hope for continued progress.

Extending her support to Ghana’s female political candidates, she conveyed her best wishes for their success in the coming elections.

“In so many countries, it is still hard to be a female candidate, and we, whether men or women, need to use our influence to change that,” she emphasized.

Ms. Thompson further underscored the economic and educational ties that bind the UK and Ghana, mentioning the UK’s support for youth development programs, flood recovery, and environmental sustainability efforts in Ghana.

She credited these initiatives with benefiting both nations, asserting, “A strong Ghanaian economy creates opportunities for UK-Ghana trade, allowing both of our countries to grow.”

Ending her remarks, Ms. Thompson celebrated the enduring bilateral relationship between the UK and Ghana.

“We know that a strong and enduring bilateral partnership that both learns from the past and looks to the future can improve the lives of people in both of our countries,” she concluded, raising a glass in honor of King Charles III and toasting to the future of the Ghana-UK partnership.

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“As far as I am concerned it is in the past. It was a misunderstanding…Our relationship is too important for a misunderstanding like that to affect it. I want to reassure people that it has not and it will not,” she stated.

Mrs. Harriet Thompson disclosed this on The Probe on JoyNews.

It would be recalled that on May 17, Mrs. Thompson tweeted, “Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the convener of #FixTheCountry Movement, arrested again, I understand, for a motoring offense on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes.”

The tweet followed the arrest of Mr. Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a social activist, for breaking traffic regulations.

In response to the tweet, the IGP, George Akufo Dampare issued a four-page letter, the content of which sums up in four Akan words- ‘Di wo fie asɛm’, to wit, “learn to keep within the limits that concerns you.”

With the issue resolved, the UK High Commissioner underscored the importance of the UK’s relationship with Ghana.

According to her, “it is better that it remains that way.”

“The relationship the UK has with the Ghana Police Service is really important. It goes back many years. Recently we have provided training to detectives in the police service, we have been providing training on countering explosive devices and that work absolutely carries on as part of the security dialogue that we have been talking about,” Mrs Thomson assured.

According to her, “it is an important place to start” with cutting down government expenditure.

Mrs Thompson said this in a yet-to-be-aired interview on JoyNews’ The Probe on Sunday.

She said her views have been made known to government officials during her interactions with them.

“One of the things that I talk to them about is my own experience as a UK civil servant. Over the years since I started, we have gradually seen the budget being tightened. And it’s quite at low levels. For example no more free coffee and tea for civil servants, no more biscuits in meetings for civil servants.”

She noted that although such measures may be protested by the beneficiaries, they send the right signal to the taxpayer that the managers of the economy have them at heart.

“Nobody expects that that should be provided. People think very hard about how tax payer’s money is spent in an appropriate way. And for me as a British citizen, the taxpayer shouldn’t be buying my coffee and tea.”

The issue of government expenditure has recently come under discussion. As a show of concern, government cut down the salaries of its appointees by 30%. The 2022 midyear budget also made significant cuts in expenditure.

The UK High Commissioner emphasised that although she cannot say for a fact that the Government of Ghana provides free coffee and tea to civil servants, such gestures, where necessary show concern for the plight of the taxpayer in these trying times.

“I am not saying that the Government of Ghana is providing free coffee and tea for civil servants.

“I am saying that really looking at the cost of government, is an important place to start. Because people need to say that we are in this together and that the pain that is undoubtedly going to remain for a while as the world comes through these challenges, we need to be sharing that plight,” she explained.

The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, says the waiting times to get visas to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) is reducing.

In a yet-to-air interview on JoyNews’ The Probe, she announced the return of the UK’s priority service and apologised for the situation regarding the waiting time.

“I am really pleased to say the priority visa service is back in Ghana and that is across all of the categories …the waiting times are coming down, I am sorry about the length of time that has been taken to the UK recently,” she said.

The UK Commissioner explained that the wait is due to the enormous pressures on the system caused by the Afghanistan crisis a year ago.

She added that another situation accounting for the wait is the Russian invasion of Ukraine “wanting to be able to bring refugees to the country quickly” to seek asylum.

Moving forward, she noted that the wait is “now on an average of five weeks.”

“But I want to make sure people know that they can apply for their visa up to three months before they expect to travel and the visa will then start from when the travel actually happens so there is no need to leave it until you’ve got your tickets booked,” she added while advising travellers to obtain a visa before purchasing a ticket.

Madam Thompson will serve with the stool name Naa Okaitso Mnalimi I.

She was enstooled by His Majesty Nii Ayi-Bonti II, Gbese Mantse and Adonten of the Ga people.

In attendance to witness the colourful ceremony were officials of the British High Commission, elders of the Gbese Stool and some queen mothers.

In series of tweets, she shared photos from the ceremony as she expresses appreciation to the people of Gbese.

What an honor to be enstooled as a Development Queen Mother by His Majesty Nii Ayi-Bonti II, Gbese Mantse & Adonten of the Ga people.

I’m still learning how to say my new name: Naa Okaitsoo Nrami I, Gbese Nↄyaa Manye

??? pic.twitter.com/Y5m31CzLSf

— Harriet Thompson (@HCThompson001) July 22, 2022

She also made mention of the Ghanaian Thompson family who was also present.

A pleasure, too, to meet and be welcome home by my Ghanaian Thompson family! pic.twitter.com/oFe2IX9m8S

— Harriet Thompson (@HCThompson001) July 22, 2022

Madam Thompson acknowledged her enstoolment is a powerful symbol of the deep relationship between Ghana and the UK, shared values, and commitment to development and stability in the wonderful country.

Oyiwaladɔŋŋ, your Majesty, for this powerful symbol of our countries’ deep relationship, our shared values, and our commitment to development and stability in this wonderful country. pic.twitter.com/g2v5vFkHLQ

— Harriet Thompson (@HCThompson001) July 22, 2022

This is in connection with Madam Thompson’s post on the arrest of #FixTheCountry convenor, Oliver Barker-Vormawor on May 17, 2022.

Taking to her Twitter page, she wrote: Oliver Barker Vormawor, convener of #FixTheCountry movement, arrested again, I understand for a motoring offence on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes…

Oliver Barker Vormawor, convener of #FixTheCountry movement, arrested again, I understand for a motoring offence on his way to court. I’ll be interested to see where this goes… https://t.co/iK5hZDZUln

— Harriet Thompson (@HCThompson001) May 17, 2022

But to the IGP, the post is a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, which enjoins diplomatic missions not to interfere with the internal affairs of their host country.

In a statement signed by Dr Dampare, he indicated the service would have ordinarily ignored the post but they have learnt from painful and past experiences that such a stance has not been helpful to them.

“Your Excellency, the fact that you use the ‘arrested again’ we believe must mean you were making reference to previous occasions Mr Barker Vormwaor was arrested for threatening the security of the state and recently for motor traffic offences,” the statement read in parts.

The IGP bemoaned such misguided, unwarranted and biased comments have tarnished the reputation of the service and the country at large, hence the need to set records straight.

Read the full response for all the questions below:

Police Administration’s Response to the British High Commissioner’s Tweet on the Arrest of Oliver Baker-Vormawor, on 17th May, 2022 pic.twitter.com/ZIlFYHWKdx

— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) May 31, 2022

The visit on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, was to hold discussions with Mr Agyebeng and his team on the fight against corruption in the country.

Madam Thompson during the meeting disclosed the preparedness of London to assist the outfit in the discharge of their duties.

She, among other things, stated London will help in sharing intelligence and infrastructure support.

Meanwhile, the Office of Special Prosecutor has announced a toll-free number to enable Ghanaians to report corruption-related cases.

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The toll-free number, 0800-000-700 is for all Ghanaians to be a part of the solution to the menace which is deepening the country’s woes.