Accra, March 26, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Friday noted that Ghana has a comparative advantage in rice and poultry production and government would strive to promote growth in the two economic ventures. "We cannot ban the importation of rice and poultry because we might be flouting the World Trade Organisation rules, and so what we can do is to protect these industries from outside companies by supporting them to survive in the open market competition," he said.

Vice President Mahama made the observation when a five-member Korean Business delegation paid a courtesy call on him at the Osu Castle, to outline their business plan for Ghana.

A delegation from the Clark Sustainable Resource Development Limited, a Canadian development organisation, Students from Stamford University in the UK and African Global Sister Cities Foundation. He said Ghana was on track in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) especially the eradication of poverty, which had the potential of making the country self-sufficient and an exporter of food. Vice President Mahama said the provision of equipment such as tractors and irrigation were some of the strategies the government was adopting to increase food production and reduce food importation into the country. He said as part of measures to achieve the MDGs, government would construct about 3,000 classrooms to avoid the use of tree shades for classes in most parts of the country.

Vice President Mahama said decent accommodation, and other good incentives would be provided to teachers who accept postings to the rural and deprived areas of the country.

On the sister city relationship, he advised cities engaged in the friendship to project the Ghanaian culture and values to their friends to re-orient their perception about Africans.

Mr. Ha Young-Je, Korean Vice Minister of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said his country would provide training programmes for Ghanaian fisheries officials to strengthen the tuna fishing industry this year.

"Korea will help in the establishment of development model, strengthen support in Ghana's fisheries development and will require active support to Korean fisheries companies in Ghana," he added. Mr. Joe Clark, Chairman of Clark Sustainable Resource Development Limited, said ultra-modern equipment would be imported to undertake the project on the Volta Lake to make it one of the best lake transport system in the world.

"The lake project we are working on in Ghana is the first major project anywhere in the country and its success will serve as a good example to be replicated in the world," he said. 26 March 10