Britain praises Ghana as role model in sub-Saharan Africa

A minister at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr. Peter Hain, has praised Ghana for being a role model for democracy in sub-Saharan Africa.

In a statement from the office of the High Commission for Ghana in the UK, Mr. Hain said the United Kingdom cherishes Ghana's commitment to good governance and was therefore optimistic that next year's elections would be free and fair. He indicated that Britain would continue to offer Ghana and other countries in Africa the necessary assistance to maintain good governance in order to attract inward investment. The minister commended Ghana for its significant contribution to the maintenance of peace in the West African sub-region, especially Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Mr. Hain made these remarks when the Vice-President, Prof J.E.A. Mills, accompanied by the Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. J.A. Laryea, and officials of the High Commission called at his office in London Yesterday. Mr. Hain recalled the British role in assisting to resolve the Sierra Leonean crisis, indicating that Britain would continue to offer further assistance to ECOMOG in order to ensure effective implementation of the recently signed Lome Peace Agreement on Sierra Leone. He expressed his country's willingness to work in close partnership with countries in the sub-region to find a lasting solution to the Sierra Leonean crisis, and to promote lasting peace and stability in the sub region.

On his part, the Vice-President, Prof J.E.A. Mills, welcomed the warm relations between Ghana and the UK and commended the UK Government for its support in the promotion and maintenance of peace and stability in the sub-region, adding that the UK has been faithful partners. Prof Mills called on the British Government to use its privileged position to sensitize the international community to also contribute their quota towards the demobilization, rehabilitation and the reconstruction program of Sierra Leone. The Vice-President assured the minister that even though ECOMOG would eventually pull out of Sierra Leone, this would be done only after credible peace has been achieved.

The Vice-President had earlier visited Taylor Woodrow, a British Company with huge investment in Ghana, where Mr. Bruce Russell, Chairman of the Company, received him. In a welcoming remark, Mr. Russell noted that Ghana's tremendous economic success over the last few years was an incentive for inward investment. He said Taylor Woodrow has been in Ghana for over fifty years and has an investment of over 15 million pounds in the country and employs over 2,500 people. Mr. Russell indicated his company was the leading investor in information technology and is the 25th of the 100 top companies in Ghana. In his response, Prof. Mills commended Taylor Woodrow for its contribution to Ghana's development efforts.