Ghana-Japan to strengthen trade relations for mutual benefits – Dr Bawumia

Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has said Government is determined to co-operate with companies and countries interested in providing high quality infrastructure in the country, especially in the areas of construction and manufacturing.

He said as part of the Government’s industrialisation plan, it was more than willing to allow those companies to set up and operate in the country.

Vice President Bawumia said this when a delegation led by Mr Suematsu Shinsuke, Japanese Minister of State for Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), paid a working visit on him at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

Mr Shinsuke was in the country for the Ghana-Japan High Quality Infrastructure Conference organised by the Japan-Africa Infrastructure Development Association in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, the Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors of Ghana, the Association of Road Contractors and the Progressive Road Contractors Association.

The conference provided a platform for information exchange and opinion sharing on infrastructure needs and business development activities in Africa between member companies.

Twenty-six representatives of Japanese companies engaged in construction, consulting, engineering and manufacturing, trading, finance and insurance attended the conference.

Addressing the delegation comprising businessmen and industrialists, Dr Bawumia expressed Government’s desire to have a relationship with the international community driven by mutual trade.

He recalled the long-standing relationship between Ghana and Japan, and thus, called for even greater ties between the two countries.

“The bond between Ghana and Japan goes a long way and it is an unbreakable bond. Mention can be made of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research which was established in 1979 as a gift from the Japanese government in memory of Dr Hideyo Noguchi to Ghana. The Institute has maintained the high quality and ethical standards in the conduct of research,” he noted.

The Vice President also recognised the contribution of Japan to Ghana’s development over the years, and expressed government’s appreciation to the Japanese government for resumption of the grant of highly concessional loans after a 15-year break.

He thanked Japanese government for the assistance it has provided to the country in the areas of infrastructure and health and cited the provision of Community-based Heath Planning Services (CHPS) compounds, the construction of a new bridge on the Volta Lake to make movement between the Eastern and Volta regions easier, as well as supporting the countries within the Gulf of Guinea with maritime assistance.

“I am confident that the Ghana-Japan Parliamentary League would deepen the co-operation between our two countries.” he stressed.

For his part, Mr Shinsuke congratulated the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s led government on its electoral victory in the 2016 polls and assured Japanese government’s readiness to deepen ties with Ghana and assist the Government to achieve its objectives.

Mr Shinsuke was accompanied to the Flagstaff House by his deputy Kaibori Yasuaki, Counsellor for Global Strategies at the MILT; Mori Takehiro, President of Japan-Africa Infrastructure Development Association; Miyamoto Yoichi, Japan Ambassador to Ghana; Yoshimura Kaoru and Ghana’s Ambassador to Japan, Mr Parker Allotey.

Heads of various companies including Fujita Corporation, Sakai Heavy Industries Ltd, Nihon Sekkei Inc, Shimizu Corporation, Taisei Corporation, Sojitz Corporation, Toa Corporation, JGC Corporation, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC and Nippon Koei Co., Ltd were also in attendance.

Source: GNA