Speaker returns from China

The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Peter Ala-Adjetey arrived home on Wednesday after a two-week goodwill visit to China at the invitation of the Chairman of the Chinese People's Congress (CPC).

Speaking to newsmen at the Kotoka International after arrival, Mr Ala-Adjetey, who was at the head of a five-man delegation, described the trip as very successful.

He said it was an eye opener, adding that he was optimistic that it would yield positive results for the country.

Mr Ala-Adjetey stated that Ghana could learn a lot from the Chinese experience, especially in the area of capital accumulation and investment.

The Speaker said he mentioned the problems facing Ghana's Parliament to the Chairman of the Congress, who gave the assurance that China would assist Ghana's lawmaking body with office accommodation.

The Chairman also said his country would help in the rehabilitation of the State House, being carried out by Chinese Construction Company.

Mr Ala-Adjetey indicated that following discussions with the Chairman of the CPC, he (Speaker) would confer with the Chinese Ambassador in Ghana on the resumption of work on the State House.

The Speakers said when he visited the Ghana Embassy in Beijing he observed that the building was in a bad state while most of the vehicles there were broken down and appealed to the government to solve the problems.

The delegation visited the industrial city of Shanghai, the Great Hall and the Great Wall of China.

China to support Job 600 project

THE Chinese Government has undertaken to assist the Government of Ghana to complete the $30 million renovation works on the State House Complex (Job 600) in Accra.

The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, made this known to newsmen at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), after leading a Parliamentary delegation on a visit to the National People?s Congress of China.

The two-week tour took the delegation to the ?Temple of Heaven,? ?The Great Hall of the People? and the ?Forbidden City? among others.

Mr Adjetey said the government is to discuss the final details of the agreement with the Chinese Embassy in Accra .

He said the suspension of work on the project is thwarting the work of Parliament and expressed the hope that the completion of work on the project would enhance parliamentary democracy.

He said lack of office accommodation particularly is holding up the work of Parliament adding that ?the willingness of the Chinese Government to discuss the matter with us is an indication that they want to explore all means to assist us.?

Mr Adjetey described the visit as an eye opener and said ?we hope this is one of the positive results of our visits.?

He said the Chinese Government has also expressed its willingness to have exchange programmes in the field of agriculture and cultural co-operation. Mr Adjetey expressed concern about what he described as ?the deteriorating state of Ghana?s embassy in China? and called for urgent steps to renovate it. ?I wish to state that we are not happy with the state of neglect of our embassy in China. I think it should be in the interest of the nation that something should be done immediately.?

The delegation also had discussions with investors who expressed interest in investing in the country.