Ghana spearheads infrastructural project in Angola

Accra, Jan. 11, GNA - Ghana is spearheading an 85 million-dollar housing and infrastructure project in Angola to kick-start in February 2007.

The projects being undertaking by TANCON Limited, Ghana-based international management consultants and Ghanaian and Angolan subsidiary companies would span 36 months.

As a follow up, a three-member Angolan delegation, led by the Minister of Urban Affairs and Environment, Mr Diekumpuna Sita N'sadisi Jose' met with the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama and some Ghanaian officials at the Osu Castle to fine tune the projects.

Vice President Mahama lauded the development projects as a good example of South-South cooperation and the fulfilment of the objectives of the Non-Aligned Movement.

He said deeper cooperation among Third World countries held the prospects of alleviating poverty through the sharing of resources and expertise.

Vice President Mahama noted that the exploitation of the vast water resources in Africa through techniques like irrigation should be able to push poverty outside the Region.

He commended Angola for leaning on Ghana for support and not eyeing any country beyond the continent.

Vice President Mahama said the private sector-led development initiative in Angola deepened the commitment of Ghana towards the promotion of the sector as the engine of growth and wealth generation.

Mr Jose' said his visit was aimed at reactivating the Ghana-Angola Joint Technical Cooperation signed between the two countries in Luanda in 2005 and to finalise the technical details to facilitate the success of the projects.

He said the projects, which would be piloted in the national capital would later spread to other provinces, since the bloody civil war the country experienced was now over. Mr Jose' said the projects being funded by the Ministries of Finance and Housing and Environment, was vital in Luanda, which was home to nine million Angolans.

Mr Ernest Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture said Ghana was ready to support Angola with irrigation expertise. Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD, also assured the Angolans that Ghana was ready to support efforts to improve on irrigation, education and energy redistribution management.

Dr Paul Tabiri, Chief Executive Officer of TABCON, said the company would complete an old irrigation system Ghana started in Angola, before the civil war and also provide a number of building flats and infrastructure.