Iranian govt to extend $20 million credit line to Ghana

Accra, June 28, GNA - The Iranian ambassador to Ghana H.E. Vallollah Mohammadi has indicated that Iran is poised to extend a $20-million credit line due to Ghana.

The Ambassador said this when he paid a courtesy call Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister for Regional Co-operation and NEPAD in his office on Monday.

This was contained in a press lease issued his ministry in Accra. According to the release, their discussion was centred on improvement in the relationship between Iran and Ghana in the areas of socio- economic and political relationship, as well as upgrading the current Iranian Clinic to a hospital status.

H.E. Vallolah Mohammadi commended Ghana for consolidating the NEPAD process in the area of African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). He said Iran had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ghana to provide US $1.5 million for the purchase of 41 ambulances with a 3-year spare parts allocation agreement.

The Ambassador also said the embassy in Ghana has as a department that deals with agriculture and rural development in the areas of education, water and ICT and invited Dr Apraku's ministry to avail itself to collaborate with the department for effective implementation in Ghana, for these are key identifiable projects of NEPAD.

The Ambassador also invited Dr. Apraku to participate in the second Iran-Africa Seminar scheduled for Iran in September this year. He also extended the invitation to the Minister of Trade and Industry. Dr. Konadu Apraku assured the ambassador that all efforts would be invested to strengthen the relationship between the private sector in Ghana and his Iranian counterpart in the area of trade.

Dr. Apraku, who welcomed the invitation to attend the summit said Ghana would consider establishing an embassy in Iran, since 17 African countries including Nigeria, Senegal, Benin and Guinea have embassies already in Iranian and promised to discuss the issue with the Foreign Minister.