Govt to co-operate fully with investors

Accra, May 19, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday gave assurance to investors of full Government cooperation without undercuts or arm-twisting and partner them to provide jobs for the people and build a better nation.

As he held discussions in Accra, with a delegation of Zain Africa, operators in the telecommunication industry across Africa, President Mills went further to invoke divine blessing on Government and private partnership to build the necessary development infrastructure to have a strong government.

The delegation, led by Mr Chris Gabrriel, the Chief Executive Officer of Zain Africa, which was the Castle, Osu, the seat of Government, paid a courtesy call on the President for discussion of matters of common interest and congratulated President Mills on his assumption to the high office.

Zain, now operating the erstwhile Western Telecommunications Limited (Westel), has $420 million investment in mobile telephony, with 25 percent holdings by the Government of Ghana. The Company is soon to get into mobile money transfer across Africa to facilitate business transactions across the continent. President Mills reiterated that the Government would build conducive business atmosphere clothed in transparency, accountability and strict application of rules.

He endorsed the call on mobile telecommunication operators to ensure more use of local content, and have their scratch cards printed in Ghana as way of enhancing job creation locally. President Mills stretched an open arm to Zain and the investor community to be part of building a better Ghana, for mutual benefits. "We'll co-operate fully with you so that you would be able to develop your business and the necessary returns," President Mills, said, adding that, Government was opening its doors to investors since they formed part of the machinery to build the necessary infrastructure, strong economy and robust government.

He said the Government wanted the investors to operate freely, and reassured Ghanaians that Government was doing its possible best to give jobs to the people as it encouraged investors to localize its activities with the use of more local content and human resources. Communications Minister, Mr Haruna Iddrisu said the Ministry had, beginning from this year, requested all telephone companies in Ghana to have to have at least 40 per cent of their scratch cards printed locally, with a view to making the whole printing soon localized. He said the telecom signals in Ghana had been encouraging, and with a teledensity rate of 53 per cent, Ghana would soon initiate a policy to monitor the nation's international telephone traffic. Mr Gabriel assured Ghanaians of continued investment with a commitment to its social responsibility including rebuilding of schools.