|
Help Ghana to take full advantage of
AGOA - President Kufuor
Accra, Nov. 27, Ghanadot/GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor
has called on the United States (US) to assist Ghana to
develop its commercial and industrial base to take full
advantage of the African Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA).
The US, he said, should stretch out and help to empower the
country to enjoy the benefits of the Initiative.
Ghana qualifies to export 6,500 different commodities to the
US market under AGOA but does not have the base to produce
to meet the American market standards.
President Kufuor was interacting with a US Congressional
delegation led by Senator James Inhofe, a member of the
Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Castle, Osu.
They were in Accra to reinforce the good relations and
expand the frontiers of bilateral co-operation between the
two countries.
President Kufuor acknowledged that the US has been quite
friendly and supportive of Ghana, citing, among others
things, the 547-million-dollar grant to help modernize its
agriculture under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA),
the recent launch by the US Treasury Secretary of a
250-million-dollar OPIC investment fund to boost the private
sector, education assistance and HIV-AIDS support package.
The good work must continue. The two countries should
continue to work towards improving their relations, he said,
adding that, the delegation should get the entire Congress
to appreciate the country's prospects.
President Kufuor, who is Chairman of the African Union (AU),
assured them of the continent's commitment to uplift and
mainstream itself into globalization and said this however,
demanded peace and stability.
He said the US therefore needed to co-operate more with it
on the defence front, to help Africa achieve peace and
security in its trouble spots.
Touching on the proposed deployment of the UN Hybrid Force
in the Sudan Darfur Region, he asked the US to help provide
the peacekeepers with the right equipment and logistics to
bring peace to the people in the area, which, he said, had
suffered for far too long.
Senator Inhofe, praised President Kufuor for his good
leadership saying; "We have watched your leadership in the
past seven years and you have clearly proven to be the
leader of West Africa."
He said they were also impressed with the level of
infrastructure development in the country, mentioning in
particular, Accra, the capital city.
The leader of the Congressional delegation said they were
happy with their relationship with Ghana and pledged to
continue to build on it.
President Kufuor later granted audience to African Trades
Union Leaders, who were in the country for the formation of
a single labour organization for the continent, the
International Trades Union Confederation, Africa Region.
He counselled the new Organization to put in place
structures that would reinforce the strength of labour for
the benefit of all.
The central objective for the merger of labour unions should
be to work to strengthen labour and humanity.
Government and labour, he said, must also hold together to
move the society forward.
GNA
|
