VEEP says debate on STX deal demonstrates Ghana's democracy

Accra, Aug 9, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Monday said the long parliamentary debate on the STX Housing project was a demonstration of Ghana's democratic credentials.

"Ghana is maturing on daily basis in the area of democracy and no wonder other countries on the continent are striving to either equal or learn from Ghana's feat in good governance and democracy."

Vice President Mahama said this when a Korean Parliamentary select-committee on Tourism called on him at the Castle, Osu, to outline some of their programmes for the country.

The Committee is in Ghana to inspect all Korean Overseas Development Assistance projects in Ghana and to look for better partnership in the coming years.

The Vice President said the STX Housing project would not only provide decent accommodation for the personnel of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service and Customs, Excise and Preventive service but would also engage the services of over 50,000 artisans in Ghana.

He gave the assurance that government would cooperate with the Korean government and the private sector to achieve its aim of becoming the gateway to Africa just like Korea that had become an economic giant in Asia.

"We admire your progress in technology and other sectors of development and hope that our relationship will re-rate Ghana on the map of development in the coming years."

Mr Lee Juyoung, the leader of the delegation, expressed satisfaction in the economic progress of the country and pledged the support of Korea to Ghana's economic reforms, adding "we want you to identify areas of cooperation for us to put it in our support plan for the coming years."

He said Korea would step up its level of support to Ghana in tourism, electricity and the provision of micro-credit for organized groups especially women groups that are engaged in micro businesses and called on them to take advantage of the facility.

Mr Juyoung expressed Korea's interest in supporting Ghana to achieve its Millennium Development Goals and called on the Ghana government to draw a comprehensive development plan to enable them identify areas of cooperation.