Ghana has appealed to Japan for more support towards some priority areas of its economic development and trade.
Specifically, the Ghanaian Government called for assistance in the areas of road infrastructure development, education, agriculture and health.
Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, made the appeal on behalf of her country when she hosted the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Himeno Tsutomu, at the Foreign Ministry on Friday, March 26, 2021.
Calling for Japan’s support in the area of road construction, she explained that President Nana Akufo-Addo has declared this year as the second year of roads in Ghana “and request for more Japanese investments and support in this area.”
With regard to the Project for the Rehabilitation of the National Trunk Road N8 (phase 2), she said “the no objection memorandum, provided by the legal departments of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance after reviewing the agreement, will pave way for the speedy completion of the project.”
Touching on another priority area for the Government of Ghana Economic development agenda, Madam Ayorkor Botchwey indicated that the government intended to expand agriculture through mechanization and the establishment of agro-processing industries.
She therefore called for increased Japanese support in the area of agriculture, in particular, the provision of technical assistance for government’s flagship programme of Planting for food and jobs.
The Foreign Minister touched on the Ghanaian Government’s plans for the health sector, specifically making reference to the government’s plan to expand health care infrastructure through agenda 111, which envisions a new hospital, at least, in each district in Ghana and call for Japanese support in this regard.
Again, she appealed for closer collaboration with Japan in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, especially, access to vaccines.
She stated that Ghana was keen on receiving more Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarships (JDS) and the African Business Education Initiative for Youth (ABE).
According to her, JDS continue to offer scholarships to support Ghana’s human resource development, targeting highly capable, young government officials and others who are expected to engage in formulating and implementing social and economic development plans of the country.
She acknowledged further that cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts will contribute, in no small measure, to bringing the people of Ghana and Japan closer, which will in turn, provide a powerful impetus for the development of the relationship between the two countries.
On strengthening diplomatic delations between the two nations, the Ghanaian Minister highlighted that the government intended to promote the exchange of high-level visits and interactions between Ghanaian and Japanese leaders at all levels.
She informed the Japanese Ambassador that, Ghanaian Ministers of State have been encouraged to engage more with their Japanese counterparts and request the Ambassador to assist in facilitating such engagements when the need arises.
On his part, the Japanese Ambassador briefed the Minister on preparations towards the 8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), scheduled to be held in Tunisia in 2022, as well as the Nutrition Summit to be held in Japan in December, 2021.
The Ambassador touched on topical issues of interest to Japan, notably, the UN Security Council Reform, North Korea and Japan’s contribution to peace and security in Africa, as well as the development cooperation projects within the context of Ghana-Japan relations:
• Project for the improvement of the Tema Motoway Roundabout (phase 2); JDS.
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