Government comfortable with Sister-cities idea in the country-Kwarteng

Obuasi, (Ash), Sept. 16, GNA - Mr Kwaku Kwarteng, Government Spokesperson on Finance and Economy, has said government was comfortable with the sister-cities idea being pursued by metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to open up investments in their areas. He has, however, appealed to the investors to align their investment interest with the country's desire to boost the manufacturing sub-sector of the economy.

Mr Kwarteng stated this at a durbar of chiefs and people of Obuasi to mark the signing of a sister-city partnership agreement between Obuasi and Riverside city of California, USA. Two separate agreements both aimed at promoting education, commerce and culture were signed between the two administrative authorities of the two cities on one hand and their sister-city organizations on the other hand.

Mr Lalit Acharya, the International Relations Officer at the Office of the mayor of Riverside signed for his city council, whilst Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, Municipal Co-ordinating Director, initialed for the Obuasi Municipal Assembly with three executive members each signing for their sister-city organizations. The Government spokesperson said even though government had done relatively well over the last seven years to improve the economy with credit to the private and public sectors growing by 58 per cent, the contribution of manufacturing to that growth was only 8.5 per cent. Referring to the Obuasi Riverside agreement, Mr Kwarteng said "government promises support for all legitimate sister-city initiative. "Ghana and United States have many areas of cooperation among which are culture, education and economic. So Ghana would be entirely comfortable with sister-city activities".

Mr Prince Kwame Kludjeson, President of Africa Global Sister-City Foundation (AGSCF) announced that, Sister-city's Commission would be formed in all districts in the country, as well as, other African countries to man the affairs of sister-cities in the various districts. He assured the Obuasi Riverside partnership of the Foundation's support to make it one of the most recognized and successful sister-cities relations in the country. Mr Y. B Amponsah, Board Member of Obuasi Sister-Cities International (OSCI) noted that the destiny of the Obuasi-Riverside relationship had been endorsed by God. He said the people of Riverside had genuine love and "therefore, our expectation is a long term profitable and sustainable relationship".

Mr Lalit Acharya, said the interest of children in the two cities were paramount in the partnership saying, "we are doing this for the future of our children". He said the signing of the agreement was not the end, but the beginning of the journey. He said though Riverside had Sister-city relationships with other cities in the world, Obuasi was the first in Africa that they have entered into partnership with. The ceremony was presided by Nana Sarfo Agyeman III, Ahinsanhene and acting president of the Adansi Traditional Council.