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Vice President interacts with Japanese business delegation
Accra, Sept. 17, Ghanadot/GNA- A 38-member Japanese Public
and Private Joint Mission to promote investment in Africa on
Wednesday interacted with Ghanaian officials, as a follow-up
to the 4th Tokyo International Conference on Africa’s
Development (TICAD IV), which was attended by President John
Agyekum Kufuor in May this year.
The delegation led by Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Parliamentary
Vice- Minister for Foreign Affairs, focussed the day’s visit
on trade, Information, Communication and Telecommunication,
oil exploration, minerals, investment, tourism and
agriculture.
The delegation had already visited Nigeria and would leave
Ghana for Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon.
Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, who received the
delegation at the Osu Castle, expressed dissatisfaction
about the small Foreign Direct Investment of Japan to Ghana
and appealed to the economic giant to reverse the situation.
He called for Japanese support in critical areas like
energy, railway, road, infrastructure and manufacturing
sectors.
Alhaji Mahama also invited Japanese firms to take advantage
of Ghana’s oil find by taking part in exploration and the
development of the upstream petroleum industry.
Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, Minister of State in-charge of
Finance and Economic Development, described Japan as an
important bilateral partner and called for the country to
expand its financial assistance to Ghana.
He said Ghana’s economy, which was growing at a rate of five
to six per cent was among the fastest growing economies in
Africa.
Dr Charles Berempong-Yeboah, Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD, said TICAD IV,
pledged to double aid to Africa from 2008 to 2012.
Mr Yasutoshi lauded Ghana as one of the leading countries in
Africa with democratic track record and described the trend
as the motivating factor for Japanese support to the
country.
He said the delegation would later meet with officials of
the Ministry of Energy and the Tema Oil Refinery, to explore
areas of technical support for Ghana’s oil industry.
Mr Yasutoshi said Japan was also interested in bauxite
exploration in Ghana.
GNA
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