Sister city relationships should be mutually beneficial - Omanhene

Cape Coast, Feb. 9, GNA - The Omanhene of Oguaa traditional area, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, on Wednesday urged cities having sister-city partners abroad, to ensure that such partnerships were made mutually beneficial.

According to him, the situation where only the partners from abroad offered support to their counterparts in Africa, did not augur well for a sound and lasting relationship.

Osabarimba Kwesi Atta made the call when a four-member delegation from Hanover Park City International in the United States, led by Mrs Linda MacCance Parkham, met with the chiefs, assembly members and officials of the Cape Coast Municipal Assembly (CCMA) as part of a three-day visit to the township.

Cape Coast and Hanover City have had a sister-city relationship for the past 12-years, with Hanover City, offering assistance to Cape Coast in the area of health and education, as well as, other exchange programmes.

"Let us also look at areas that we could be of help to Hanover and offer our assistance no matter how small, to keep a healthy relationship and a lasting one", he stated.

Nana Kwamena Nyimfa IX, Adontenhen of the traditional area and acting president of Hanover Park and Cape Coast Sister-Cities Organisation, said the township had benefited immensely from the relationship.

Hanover City had provided computers and books to some secondary schools in the municipality. It had also adopted and refurbished the children's ward at the Cape Coast district hospital and an orphanage in the town.

Nana Nyimfa said discussions were also underway to set up a micro-finance scheme to support women to help minimize poverty in the area.

Mrs Parkham described the relationship between her city and Cape Coast as "wonderful," and hoped it would be strengthened through more collaboration.