Be our Ambassador as well - VP tells UNDP Ambassador

Accra, July 28, GNA - Vice President Aliu Mahama on Monday urged Ms Misako Konno, the visiting UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, to galvanize support for the government's efforts at achieving prosperity for Ghanaians and strengthening democracy.

Speaking at a meeting with Ms Konno, when she called on him at the Castle, Osu, Vice President Mahama said the Japanese actress's vision to help reduce global poverty was in line with the government's agenda, which needed the assistance of development partners to succeed. Ms Konno, who became one of the five Goodwill Ambassadors of the UNDP in 1998, is on a four-day visit to Ghana. She will assess some projects being funded by the UNDP to be able to sensitise the Japanese public on their relevance to elicit their support for the third Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

The Conference, which would be attended by Ghana's top leadership, is scheduled for September 29 to October 1.

Vice President Mahama lauded the excellent relations between Ghana and Japan and the substantial socio-economic support the Asian economic giant offers to Ghana saying, "we are aware that Ghana is on Japan's priority list.

"Your support to develop infrastructure, agriculture, education and health is worthy to us. Indeed the conversion of the loan contracted to rehabilitate the Accra Cape-Coast road into a grant is an unprecedented gesture."

The Vice President said the UNDP's aid to strengthen key institutions involved in the promotion of good governance was positive. It is one of the five major areas being sponsored by the world body to deepen democracy, mainstream gender issues into development policies and to eliminate poverty.

Mr Alfred Salia Fawundu, Country Director of UNDP, said Ghana, the first African country to be visited by Ms Konno, was chosen because of her reputation as a progressive political and economic destination. Mr Ishmael Ashietey, Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and President's Special Initiatives, commended the Ministry for assisting the Association of Ghana Industries and other programmes to boost sorghum production.

Mr Kwasi Osei Adjei, Deputy Foreign Minister, praised Mrs Kazuko Asai, the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, for her commitment to rural development, saying her zeal had taken her into a cocoa farm. Ms Konno, who said she would make the best of her trip, is expected to visit projects at Akosombo, Elmina, and the Nogouchi Memorial Research Institute among other places. She has already visited Palestine and Cambodia as a Goodwill Ambassador.