Lt. Gen. Joseph-Henry-Smith
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America (USA), His Excellency Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), has stressed the importance of trade between Ghana and the US saying, “trade between the two countries, remains very important in advancing investment and business linkages between Ghana and the US”.
Interacting with members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at the Chambers’ offices in Washington DC last Friday, Ambassador Smith used the occasion to invite the U.S. business community to partner Ghanaian businesses to help accelerate infrastructural development in Ghana.
“Major areas of co-operation, for which the Ghanaian government is seeking investment to move Ghana into a full-fledged middle income economy, he said, are energy, agriculture, housing, port expansion, ICT, transportation, road construction, health and oil and Gas.”
Ambassador Smith said the government of Ghana recognised the private sector as the engine to the country’s economic growth and therefore urged the Chamber to seriously consider investing in Ghana to support the government’s efforts and also share in the strategic initiatives that the country was pursuing.
The government, he said, was putting more emphasis on the manufacturing sector and increased exports by adding value to Ghanaian made products.
On the Economic challenges facing the country, the Ambassador informed the Chamber that the government of Ghana’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was to help restore stability and confidence in the Ghanaian Economy. He noted that, rebuilding systems, structures and procedures were keys in restoring the economy.
The economic challenges, Ambassador Smith said, were temporary and would be surmounted to pave way for flourishing business and asked members of the Chamber not to relent in their effort to bring investment to Ghana. He informed them that Ghana’s transformation agenda was premised on the three main pillars of stabilization, restoration and growth of the economy.
Touching on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ghana’s Ambassador said he would not only like to see US investment in Ghana but also see the US using Ghana as a hub to penetrate into the West African sub-region.
Opening the meeting, the Chairman of the Chamber, Mr. George Kalantzakis, of Hess Corporation, said the Chamber was glad to receive His Excellency J. H .Smith to the US and hoped their interaction with the Embassy would yield fruitful results for both the US and Ghana.
Source: ISD (Jojo Bruce-Quansah, Washington DC)
