TEMA. GHANA. Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias visited the St. Nicholas’ Greek School in Tema, Ghana, on Thursday.

The minister is currently on his second day of touring the West African countries of Ivory Coast, Ghana and Gabon.

In a statement following his visit at the school, which is financially supported by donations of Greek business people active in Ghana, Dendias first said that he would like to “acknowledge what the Tsakos Foundation has done for St. Nicholas, and what Mytilineos has done for St. Nicholas.”

“It is extremely important, in Africa, which is the fastest growing continent in the world, to have a good education,” he noted.

Speaking of basketball, he then said that “I am coming here also with a small donation which will allow the young to be constructive and also, more importantly, to make a basketball team.”

FM @NikosDendias visited today the Greek School of St. Nicholas in Tema New Town, which is funded through donations from Greek entrepreneurs operating in #Ghana. Meetings w/ Greek permanent residents, Ghanaian entrepreneurs & students who learn the 🇬🇷 language & culture pic.twitter.com/0OE0udFEWo

— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) January 12, 2023

“But there is a small request I would like to put to your kind judgment. I would please ask you for a name in that field. A name that unites Greece with Africa. I would be very proud if, when I come again, to see you playing on that basketball field, the name of the field would be “Giannis Antetokounmpo”, Dendias said.

Earlier in the day, Dendias wrapped up his visit to the Ivory Coast with a tour of the port of Abidjan.

“With the Head of the EU Delegation to Côte d’Ivoire, Francesca Di Manto and the Ambassador of Greece to Senegal and accredited to Ivory Coast, Efthymios Kostopoulos, during the morning tour at the port of Abidjan,” Dendias tweeted, with photographs.

Dendias also visited the Interregional Maritime Security Institute in Abidjan, with UE at Cote d’Ivoire Ambassador Francesca Di Mauro in attendance.

“On behalf of the Greek Government, a donation was made to support the Institute’s work in strengthening maritime security in the Guinea Gulf,” he said.