Ghana and China have assigned the Implementation Agreement of the China-Aid Annex Office Building Project for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

The agreement signing took place in Accra between Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, and Mr Lu Kun, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey lauded the warm and cordial relations Ghana enjoyed with China and the support that China continued to make towards Ghana’s socio-economic development.

"This Ministry, in particular, remains appreciative of the building of our Headquarters in 2013 and now the construction of the Annex Office Building. Ghana cherishes the bonds of friendship and our continued engagement and collaboration in several other areas of national endeavour," she said.

"The construction of the Annex Office Building project is of great importance to the Ministry as the facility will resolve the problem of inadequate office space which has been occasioned by the increase in the number of staff."

She announced that both parties had successfully concluded negotiations, which began about three years ago.

The Minister said both parties had agreed and signed the Minutes of Meetings for the onsite feasibility study in June 2019 as well as the Letter of Exchange of Note with the Ministry of Finance for the project in June 2020.

"Today we are signing the Implementation Agreement for the commencement of the China-Aid Annex Office Building Project, as the next step in this collaborative effort."

The China-Aid Annex Office Building Project is to be funded by the Chinese Government under the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between China and Ghana.

The Project is a Six-Storey building to be situated at the south of the existing office building.

The Project will include ultra-modern office space for the Minister, the Chief Director, Directors, and Officers, and will host a Conference Room, Press Room, Banquet Hall, Gym, Clinic, Flag Holding room, and underground Parking Lot.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey said for the past two weeks, the Ghana side had been working assiduously with the Team of Experts led by Mr Shen Gang to undertake further investigations on the assessment and evaluation of the Design Scheme and Architectural drawings of the Annex Office building project.

Mr Lu said the Foreign Ministry annex building office building project was a very important gesture from the Chinese Government to the Government and People of Ghana.