Ghana/Sierra Leone Week was a big success - Ministers

Sierra Leonean and Ghanaian ministers have described the week-long Ghana/Sierra Leone Week as a major success. Mr Abubakar Saddique Boniface, a Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry who led Ghana's delegation to the fair said: "I am really overwhelmed at the success of the fair.

"Our counterparts needed a lot from us to rebuild their battered economy. We have accepted the challenge and requested the joint technical committee of the two countries to prepare a bilateral agreement."

Mr Boniface said this should cover trade, information technology, the economy, politics and cultural co-operation.

The Foreign and the Trade ministries of the two countries were expected to initiate the move for the agreement to be completed as soon as practicable. Many Ghanaian companies participated in the Ghana/Sierra Leone Week during which there was a mini-fair on October 17-24 where they won contracts.

Dr Kadi Sesay, Sierra Leone's Minister of Trade said, "The fair was a great success. We have learnt a lot from our Ghanaian counterparts. The finishing of their product is excellent. We want them to teach us and we are prepared to learn from them.

"This one-week trade fair has demonstrated the comparative advantage Ghana has in the manufacturing sector over our country."

Dr Sesay said "the important expected output is to see a motivated Sierra Leone manufacturing sector sitting with their Ghanaian counterparts in partnership, making arrangements for investment".

Mr Lawson Gidigasu, General Manager (Operations), Ghana Trade Company Limited, who was the Co-ordinator of the Fair, told the GNA that the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) has won three major contracts from Sierra Leone government.

He said the AESL was to summit drawings for approval on the Vice-President's office, Central Hospital and the Treasury, which were burnt during the war.

Mr Gidigasu said Duraplast also received orders for not less than 10 containers while Qualiplast received orders for assorted plastic products for 140 food containers to be delivered before the end of this year.

Domod Company, manufacturers of aluminium cooking ware, and Vinash, a hair manufacturer got orders.

Graphic Packaging Limited, a Ghanaian subsidiary of the Graphic Communications Groups Limited secured a contract to supply labels to water and brewery companies.

GRATIS Foundation would sign a technical agreement under the sponsorship of the Commonwealth Secretariat to train Sierra Leonean youth in batik manufacturing, beekeeping, and welding and fabrication.

Mr Gidigasu said sales across the counter during the fair amounted to 10,000 dollars adding that the Association of Building and Civil Contractors of Ghana was negotiating for numerous building contracts. He said one such contract was almost successful and would earn them five million dollars in up-front payment.

According to the Sierra Leonean Minister of Works and Maintenance, Mr James Caesar Boima, 350,000 houses needed to be built while 130,000 needed to be rehabilitated.

He said he would wish to see a partnership between the Social Security an National Insurance Trust of the two countries to offer mortgage facilities in the building industry.

Mrs Sia Ngongou, Deputy Minister of Works and Maintenance, told her Ghanaian counterpart, Madam Theresa Tagoe that there were hundreds of people in her area without a roof over their heads.

Mrs Ngongou said, "We are not looking for beautification of houses. People need a home. They want something over their heads. The war has destroyed everything. If Ghanaians would help us we would be grateful."