Minister calls for invesments in Ghana

The minister in charge of the Eastern Region of Ghana Ms. Patience Adow, has called on foreign investors to take advantage of the "Build-Operate-and-Transfer" policy to invest in the country's utility services resource.

She cited the perennial water problem facing the Koforidua Municipality and invited foreign investors to come and tap water from the Volta Lake to supply the area and attract industries.

Miss Adow was speaking when ten out of an 18-member delegation from the Lansing City Council (LCC) of Michigan, United States, paid a courtesy call on her at Koforidua on Monday as part of their two-week reciprocal visit to the Akwapim South District Assembly.

The Assembly and the Council established a sister-cities' relationship four years ago during which their delegations exchanged visits aimed at exploring and initiating projects for their mutual benefit.

The District Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Atta Owusu, who led a delegation to Lansing City in August, this year, accompanied the delegation to Koforidua. They included the Mayor of Lansing City, Mr David C. Hollister, health and education officials.

Miss Adow called for technical assistance from the LCC towards the training of middle-level personnel by the country's polytechnics, the Distance Learning Scheme and cultural exchange programmes among the youth of the two countries.

In commending the two bodies for establishing the relationship, the minister expressed the hope that it would go a long way to relieve the central government of some of its burden in the provision of services to the assembly.

The Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, suggested to the delegation to attract technical support for the Mampong-Akwapim-based Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine to improve upon the preparation and packaging of its products for export.

The leader of the delegation, Ms Barbara Roberts Mason, who is also the Chairperson of the Lansing Regional Sister Cities Commission, said besides providing support in the human development sector, the LCC was exploring the possible development of infrastructure at the Aburi Botanical Gardens to enhance its revenue generation.

Mr Hollister said his city has similar relationships with five other cities world-wide, which, he noted, was helping to promote international understanding and human-centred development.

The delegation, according to Mr Atta Owusu, is to donate an ambulance, medical supplies and 20,000 library books to the assembly during the visit.