Make Ghana preferred investment destination -Mills

Accra, May 26, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday assured investors of Government's protection and urged them to feel free to make Ghana a preferred investment destination.

He reiterated Government's emphasis to investors to use more of local content and materials, and assured them of mutually satisfactory benefits from the strong partnership Government was forging with industry and investors.

"We want to create jobs for the people, so that at the end of the day, everybody will be satisfied," President Mills said in a chat with a delegation led by Mr Curtis Ferguson, President, North and West Africa Business Unit of the Coca-Cola Company, which paid a courtesy call on him a the Castle, Osu.

President Mills lauded the use of local fruits like pineapples and oranges as the Company diversified and branched out. He welcomed a proposed location of a Coca-Cola Plant at Cape Coast in the Central Region, and drew the attention of the Company and other investors that Ghana abounded in the production of fruits that could used by food processing companies.

President Mills said there were large acreages of plantations of pineapples, oranges and other fruits in the Western, Eastern and Ashanti Regions.

He said Government would make sure it removed all obstacles and ensured the strict application of rules and regulations for smooth investment operations. Mr Ferguson commended Ghana for being a producer and exporter of fruits, and announced that the proposed factory at Cape Coast would cost between 20 and 30 million dollars. An additional 31 million dollars would be spent on related services, Mr Ferguson said, adding that that Coca-Cola was growing at 10 per cent, with a potential for further growth. 26 May 2009