$83 million Japanese grant for Accra-Cape-Coast road

Accra, Oct. 7, GNA - Foreign Minister, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, Tuesday announced that an agreement has been signed between Ghana and Japan for an 83 million US dollars Japanese grant for the construction of the Accra-Cape-Coast road.

President John Agyekum Kufuor signed for the country, while the Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, during the Ghanaian leader's visit to Japan, where he attended the 10th Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD).

Nana Akufo-Addo told a press conference that the project, which would be in stages, would begin with a visit by a Japanese delegation to the country next month, as a further step of Japan's demonstration of strengthening her relations with Ghana.

He also announced that a Korean-owned Japanese-based Chocolate factory, Lotte, has decided to initiate moves by next year at establishing a chocolate producing plant in Ghana, after talks with the President.

The Minister said during the TICAD, which was attended by 23 Presidents and Heads of States of African countries, President Kufuor, in his capacity as one of the principal speakers, expressed concern about the conflicts on the continent and their adverse effects on development, calling upon Japan and the African leaders to find ways of averting the conflicts.

He said the President also met with the Japanese Premier and noted the Primier's concern about Ghana's HIPC state, adding that the President convinced him that come May next year, the deadline for the HIPC completion point, Ghana would be in the position to be responsible for its debt and thus give Japan reason to give Ghana grants again.

Nana Akufo-Addo said in Japan the President also met with High Commissioners from countries such as Malaysia, South Korea, India and other Asian countries to discuss how they could strengthen their diplomatic and economic ties with Ghana.

The President asked the High Commissioners to express their concerns about problems they have with Ghanaians dwelling in their countries and assured them of efforts at addressing such problems. He said the President also visited the United Nations University in Tokyo, of which Ghana's Professor Alex Kwapong was once the head, adding that the President discussed Ghana's education reform programme with the university's representatives and asked them to find ways of supporting the country's education sector.

The Minister said the President went on from Japan to London, where he met with the Ghanaian business community and was also hosted at a dinner by about 400 New Patriotic Party (NPP) members.