Vice President arrives from Indian

Accra, March 19, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama returned home on Thursday afternoon from India after a week's official visit.

During the visit, the Vice President attended the sixth Indian-African Conclave, an event which brought together Indian and African industries and business establishments. Briefing journalists at the airport on arrival, Vice President Mahama, said the two countries had agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a fertilizer plant in Ghana. He said with the discovery of oil and gas in the country, the MOU was coming at a good time because fertilizer was a by-product of gas. Vice President Mahama said the visit also discussed the need for Ghana and India to form a strategic partnership and added that many strategic decisions in agricultural development, urban transport and energy supply were taken.

He mentioned irrigation, energy and transportation as some of the areas where India agreed to assist Ghana.

The President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Nana Owusu-Afari, who accompanied the Vice President, said: "We established fruitful partnerships. The Indians are mostly satisfied with our peace and willing to partner with us for projects."

He noted that industrialization held the key to Ghana's development, adding that there was the need for government to work directly with industry players to make the most out of the sector. The AGI President noted that although India gained its independence only ten years before Ghana did, it was far ahead of Ghana in industrial development.

He said this indicated that there was a lot more room for improvement in industry in Ghana. At the airport to meet the Vice President was Ruchi Ghanashyam, High Commissioner of India to Ghana and some government officials.