Veep mourns murdered Japanese journalist Kenji Goto

Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur, on Tuesday 3rd February mourned the murdered Japanese journalist Kenji Goto who was purported beheaded by Islamic State extremists some few days ago, in the Middle East and has appealed to the Japanese’s government to continue with international humanitarian work that they are doing across the world.

He asked that a minute of silence be observed for his departed soul.

The Vice President made these remarks when he met a team of 56 Volunteers from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) led by the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Koaru Yoshimuru called on him at the Flagstaff House.

Mr. Kwesi Amissah Arthur commended the Japanese Government for regularly posting volunteers under the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) to accelerate Ghana's socio-economic development, especially the Volunteerism to the local development in the country.

He noted that the relationship between Japan and Ghana preceded diplomatic relations since 1920 when "Noguchi" came to Ghana to help with the vaccine he developed against "yellow fever" which was successfully used to treat the latter disease in Accra, Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana).

Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur said the relationship between Ghana and JICA dates back 38 years ago and that JICA has brought more than 1000 volunteers to Ghana through humanitarian support, cultural interchange with some of them giving themselves Ghanaian names and applauded Japanese government in the appreciable number of volunteers who are posted to rural communities to serve, which has impacted significantly on development in these areas.

Mr. Amissah-Arthur also used the occasion to urge the Volunteers to use their stay here to strengthen the good relations between Ghana and Japan.

He noted that Ghana is a very peaceful country with very hospitable population, all of which are meant to make the volunteers’ stay very comfortable.

He also urged them to learn all the Ghanaian values and teach their communities cherished values to make their stay in the country useful to Ghanaians and Japanese.

Vice president Kwesi Amissah Arthur took time to interact with the volunteers and called on them to take a look at a way of encouraging more young Ghanaian women in the area of science participation in their teachings, especially those who have already been posted to regions to teach Science and Mathematics.

On his Part the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana Koaru Yoshimuru praised the Vice President for taking time off his busy schedule to receive them and said this current JICA team is the 5th largest in the world and that Ghana is one of its favoured destination because Ghana is very dear to Japan and called for more bilateral relation between Ghana and Japan.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s volunteer programme was established to support Japanese citizens of various background and ages who wish to co-operate in the economic and social development of developing countries.

In Ghana, the program has dispatched some 1,180 volunteers into various parts of the country since its formation 38 years ago.

The Volunteers are in the country to provide rural community service in the area of Education.