US Committed to Making Ghana a Global Player

The the leader of the US Congressional and Business delegation to Africa, Mr. J.C Watts Jnr. has said the Bush administration is committed to strengthening Ghana to make her a global player and a partner with the US.

Briefing the press during a reception for Ghanaian business leaders shortly after the delegation's arrival in Accra on Monday, Mr. Watts who is also Chairman of the House of Representatives Republican Conference noted that Ghana's interest about trade issues and talks of democratic governance are strong indices of a country that needs help to build on the vision it has set for its people.

He said what the two countries have much to offer to the mutual benefit of all in the area of trade with tremendous opportunities to exploit and build on that relationship.

Welcoming them, Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Foreign Affairs said he appreciates the bilateral relations that have brought together Ghanaian and the US business people to share ideas and forge partnership in areas of interest.

He hoped that the end result would be a collective effort for the welfare of Ghanaians and Americans and offer Ghana the opportunity to ensure that much was derived from the relationship between the two countries.

The Minister thanked the US government and Congress for laying a solid foundation for the partnership and appealed for more interaction between US and Ghanaian businesses to explore opportunities to help shape the economy.

Mr. Watts and his team are in Ghana for two days. Other members of the delegation are Congressmen Eva Clayton, Peter Hoekstra, William Jefferson, John Lewis and Bob Schaffer. Representatives of about 25 companies in the US accompanied the delegation. The trip was the second by Chairman Watts after leading another business delegation to the country in April this year.

Mr. Watts is pursuing an agenda to build a business partnership with Africa. His African tour will take him to Mali, the Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria. They have already visited Mali and are due for Cote d'Ivoire tomorrow.

They would discuss with governments in the sub-region, trade, economic development and health care among other things.