Ghana to deepen relations with Netherlands in water and sanitation

Ghana’s Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday announced that government would from this year strengthen bilateral cooperation with the Netherlands in the areas of water and sanitation and food security.

He said they would also deepen relations in reproductive health, migration issues and the private-public sector cooperation in both countries.

Vice President Mahama announced this when Mr Ben Knapen, the Netherlands Minister for International Cooperation called on him at the Castle, Osu.

The Minister, who was accompanied by Gerard Duifjes, Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana and Mr Lennart Silvis, Director of the Netherlands water partnership, would later visit the Ministries of Water Resources, Works and Housing and Local government and Rural Development.

He would also visit the Weija Water plant, the Oblogo landfill, the Densu Delta Ramsar site and water and sanitation investment diner.

Vice President Mahama said the Dutch Government, which was already supporting the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Tamale Regional Hospital would further support the hospital to the status of a Regional and Teaching hospital.

Mr Knapen said his government had launched a new Dutch Development Policy, under which they had reduced their international cooperation and programmes, but added that Ghana was still on their priority list of cooperation, particularly in the water and sanitation sector.

Under the previous agreements, the Netherlands would avail a total of Euro 100 million as grant to the Ghana government to finance critical infrastructure in Cape Coast, Elmina, Ga West and Ga South Municipalities for a five-year period.

He said the Netherlands and Ghana had had good relations and would continue to deepen them for mutual benefit.

Mr Knapen commended the Government of Ghana for strict adherence to good governance, rule of law, democracy and economic growth and hoped their cooperation would help to boost the economic activities.

Source: GNA

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