09 May 2013, Accra – Ghana and Japan have signed agreement on a US$14 million grant in support of the former’s power distribution system project.
The project is to be carried out in the Brong Ahafo and Northern regions.
The agreement was signed in a ceremony in Accra by Ms. Hanna Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for Ghana, and Mr. Naoto Nikai, Japanese Ambassador to Ghana for his country.
“Improving distribution of electricity will help reduce poverty (and) will go a long way to improve the quality of medical care and raise educational standards,” Mr. Nikai said.
He expressed the hope that the project would motivate the local people to engage in small and medium sized businesses that required use of electricity, and also promote local industries.
Ms. Tetteh said Japan had remained a true friend to Ghana in providing various financial and technical assistances for the nation’s socio-economic development.
“The Government of Ghana interprets these kind gestures as illustrations of the strong bond of friendship and mutually beneficial co-operation which so happily exist between Ghana and Japan,” she said.
On the upcoming Fifth International Tokyo Conference on African Development, Ms. Tetteh announced that President John Dramani Mahama was scheduled to attend.
The summit would take place from June 1 to June 3, and is expected to boost Japan’s ties with Africa and Ghana in particular.
