|
US Treasury Secretary gives high marks
to Ghana for development
Accra, Nov. 19, Ghanadot/GNA - US Treasury Secretary, Mr
Henry M. Paulson, has given high marks to Ghana for moving
beyond donor support to venture into the capital market.
This, he noted, was an important
economic decision that would help to speed up the pace of
the country's development. Mr Paulson, who is in Accra as
part of a five-day mission to Africa to promote economic
opportunities, jobs and investment,
said this when he held discussions with President John
Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu, on Monday.
He had earlier met with the Minister of Finance and Economic
Planning and visited the Ghana Stock Exchange.
"My visit, Mr President, is to underscore the outstanding
leadership by you and your Finance Minister. Ghana has
opportunities for investment."
The US Treasury Secretary said he was impressed with the
performance of the Ghana Stock Exchange, noting that it had
earned a good image not only in Africa but the world at
large.
There have been good returns for those who have invested
there within the last two years.
President Kufuor said the Government was encouraged by the
acknowledgement of its management of the economy.
The visit to the Stock Exchange, he said, showed that it was
moving in the right direction.
President Kufuor also met with the President of the African
Development Bank (AfDB), Mr Donald Kaberuka, and reiterated
the Government's determination to stay the course of the
financial discipline that has brought stability and led to
the growth of the economy.
"We will continue to submit to the discipline of our
economy, despite the coming 2008 general elections."
He called on the Bank to hasten the release of funds for
infrastructure development, particularly roads.
It should also assist the country to restore its railway
system, an investment, President Kufuor said, would pay back
quickly. He said the coming into the country of the US
Treasury Secretary and the AfDB President, were significant
and should help to clear any doubts about the strong
performance of the
economy.
Mr Kaberuka urged the Government to continue to maintain
financial discipline, saying, Ghana was on course to
becoming a middle-income country and the capital market was
responding well.
He said the bank would help to boost the capacity of the
country's financial infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Gabon's Foreign Minister, Ms Laure Olga Gondjout,
was also at the Castle to convey a message of sympathy and
solidarity from the Gabonese President Omar Bongo to
President Kufuor for surviving last Wednesday's car
crash.
GNA
|
