Brazil approves $250m for Ghana’s Eastern Corridor road
The Government has secured another $250 million to support the construction of the Eastern Corridor road that will link Northern Ghana to the south through the Volta Region.
This follows the decision of the Brazilian Government to review the terms of a $250 million loan facility already granted to the country but for a different project.
With this approval, the government can now access the facility for road infrastructural development on the eastern corridor road project, according to a statement issued by Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, Spokesperson for the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama.
The statement said this was the outcome of meetings held between Vice President Mahama and his Brazilian counterpart, Michel Miguel Elias Temer Lulia.
It said Mr Mahama, who was on a three-day working visit at the invitation of the Brazilian Government, delivered a special congratulatory message from President John Evans Atta Mills to the new government of President Dilma Vana Rousseff on their electoral victory.
Among those present were Roads and Highways Minister, Mr Joe Gidisu, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Chris Kpodo, Deputy Finance Minister Mr Seth Terkper and Brazilian Minister for Development, Industry and Commerce, Mr Fernando Pimentel.
Vice President Mahama and his Brazilian counterpart renewed their resolve to deepen economic and political cooperation between the two countries for the mutual benefit of their people.
This is the second visit by the Vice President to Brazil, the first being an official visit in March 2010.
Brazil has also agreed to support Ghana with technical assistance and affirmed its commitment to supply Ghana with 500 tractors under the More Food for Africa Programme.
The statement said the meeting also discussed the supply of buses for mass transport in Ghana to ease traffic congestion.
Other projects tabled for discussion included Ghana’s request to Brazil for financial and technical assistance to construct key road intersections, steel bridges and reconstruction of feeder roads to ease transportation of farm produce.
The emphasis, according to the Vice President, was transportation within Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) operational zones.
During Mr Mahama’s first visit he congratulated Brazil for establishing in Accra the regional headquarters of EMBRAPA, the renowned Brazilian Agricultural Research Institute.
Source: GNA