Stop harassing Malaysian investors - NDC group

The Eastern Regional branch of Action Forum, a political wing of the NDC, has urged the government to stop "targeting Malaysian investors in Ghana," since such an action could send "very dangerous signals to the international business community."

In a press release at Koforidua and signed by the Regional spokesperson, Mr Kojo Opong, it said that the perceived profiling of Malaysian investors could scare away investors from Ghana, especially against the backdrop of renewed efforts by the government to woo investors to the country.

Referring to a recent visit by President Kufuor to Singapore, which shares boundaries with Malaysia, the group wondered whether Singaporean investors would be willing to invest in Ghana when "their next door neighbour has just been given the sack."

The release reminded the government that Malaysian investments in Ghana were part of a South-South Co-operation between Asian and African countries that focuses on the sharing of technology. The explained that although such investments were effected during the NDC reign, they could also have happened irrespective of the party in power.

According to the release, "if the NPP suspects that everything the NDC government did was wrong and corrupt and sacks Malaysians from Ghana as it currently doing, why should Germans or Canadians investors take over the Malaysian investment, knowing that the possibility exists for PNC or Reform to drive them away" when they win power.

It claimed that it is not the recent Supreme Court ruling on the legality on the Fast Track High Court that could drive investors away from Ghana, noting that "by the manner of their handling the Malaysian investment in Ghana, the government have sent very dangerous signals to the international business community."

The group disputed government handling of the Ghana Telecom case and asked it to re-state the real problem regarding the company since the company exceeded the number of IDD, pay-phones and mobile phones they were supposed to install.