Government comfortable with Sister-cities idea in the
country—Kwarteng
Obuasi, (Ash), Sept. 16, GNA – Mr Kwaku Kwarteng, Government
Spokesperson on Finance and Economy, has said government was
comfortable with the sister-cities idea being pursued by
metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to open up
investments in their areas.
He has, however, appealed to the investors to align their
investment interest with the country’s desire to boost the
manufacturing sub-sector of the economy.
Mr Kwarteng stated this at a durbar of chiefs and people of
Obuasi to mark the signing of a sister-city partnership
agreement between Obuasi and Riverside city of California,
USA.
Two separate agreements both aimed at promoting education,
commerce and culture were signed between the two
administrative authorities of the two cities on one hand and
their sister-city organizations on the other hand.
Mr Lalit Acharya, the International Relations Officer at the
Office of the mayor of Riverside signed for his city
council, whilst Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, Municipal Co-ordinating
Director, initialed for the Obuasi Municipal Assembly with
three executive members each signing for their sister-city
organizations.
The Government spokesperson said even though government had
done relatively well over the last seven years to improve
the economy with credit to the private and public sectors
growing by 58 per cent, the contribution of manufacturing to
that growth was only 8.5 per cent.
Referring to the Obuasi Riverside agreement, Mr Kwarteng
said “government promises support for all legitimate
sister-city initiative.
“Ghana and United States have many areas of cooperation
among which are culture, education and economic. So Ghana
would be entirely comfortable with sister-city activities”.
Mr Prince Kwame Kludjeson, President of Africa Global
Sister-City Foundation (AGSCF) announced that, Sister-city’s
Commission would be formed in all districts in the country,
as well as, other African countries to man the affairs of
sister-cities in the various districts.
He assured the Obuasi Riverside partnership of the
Foundation’s support to make it one of the most recognized
and successful sister-cities relations in the country.
Mr Y. B Amponsah, Board Member of Obuasi Sister-Cities
International (OSCI) noted that the destiny of the Obuasi-Riverside
relationship had been endorsed by God.
He said the people of Riverside had genuine love and
“therefore, our expectation is a long term profitable and
sustainable relationship”.
Mr Lalit Acharya, said the interest of children in the two
cities were paramount in the partnership saying, “we are
doing this for the future of our children”.
He said the signing of the agreement was not the end, but
the beginning of the journey.
He said though Riverside had Sister-city relationships with
other cities in the world, Obuasi was the first in Africa
that they have entered into partnership with.
The ceremony was presided by Nana Sarfo Agyeman III,
Ahinsanhene and acting president of the Adansi Traditional
Council.
GNA
