Ghana to host four important dignitaries

Accra, Jan. 22, GNA- Ghana on Friday receive German Chancellor Gerhardt Shroeder and four high profiled dignitaries, are to visit the country in the next few months.

President Kufuor named the others as King Mohammed the VI of Morocco, Former United States President Jimmy Carter and President of the World Bank James Wolfensen.

The President said this when he delivered the Third State of the Nation Address in Parliament, which covered issues on the management of the Economy, the Five Priority Areas of Government-Infrastructure, Private-Sector Development, Modernised Agriculture, Enhanced Social Services and Good Governance- Peace and Security and others. Linking the visits to the country's good foreign policies and relations, President Kufuor said his foreign trips, which received some criticism, had also paid off.

He said: "My foreign visits have helped to promote Ghana's image and trading investments prospects. The decision of Japan to convert the loan for the Kasoa/Yamoransa Road to a grant, is one of such concrete examples of the dividends from our foreign policies and the enhanced status of our economy".

"Similar gestures have been extended by other friendly countries and development partners like Denmark, Canada, Holland, the UK, Germany, Italy, European Union (EU), the US and China and we are grateful to all of them".

President Kufuor talked about his role in ECOWAS, which has helped to restore peace to conflict torn areas and expressed satisfaction that Ghana was at peace with all her neighbours.

Vice President Aliu Mahama, Members of the Judiciary, Council of State, Executive and the Diplomatic Corps were among a across-section of the public in Parliament to listen to the President.

National Democratic Congress Party Leader Professor Evans Atta Mills, GCPP Leader Dan Lartey and other Minority Party Leaders were in the House. So were the First Lady Theresa Kufuor and the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Ramatu.

At the end of it all president Kufuor received a standing ovation for his speech, which he preceded with comments about the state of the Economy in 2001 when he assumed office.