Barbados is open for business with Ghana - Prime Minister

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados has pledged the Caribbean nation’s readiness to trade with Ghana and explore business/investment opportunities here for mutual benefits.

She said Barbados would not only trade in goods and services with Ghana and Africa but would also exchange the best of human talents, geared towards accelerating the development of both economies.

Ghana and Barbados shared a common heritage, she said, adding; “We eat the same food, we wear the same clothes, and so let’s work together and explore the opportunities, in order to make this region a better place than what we left it”.

Ghana recently announced plans to export about 400 nurses and other professionals to Barbados as part of efforts to boost bilateral relations and provide jobs for the unemployed graduates.

The Prime Minister of Barbados, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the 18th Edition of the Ghana Club 100 Awards in Accra on Friday, said the private sector was the engine of growth that could make a fundamental difference towards the socio-economic development of every nation.

She said, for instance, that the Republic Bank, which had 41 branches in Ghana, originated from Barbados with majority shareholding.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo warmly welcomed the Barbados Prime Minister to Ghana and pledged his government’s commitment to cooperating with her country to bolster the fortunes of both economies.

The President re-affirmed his government’s commitment to supporting the country’s private sector to thrive, saying; “We want to do whatever we can to make sure the private sector flourishes and develops Ghana”.

“So count on the support of this government for whatever you’re doing. Our hearts and minds are clear. We want you to succeed because when you succeed, government succeeds,” the President said.

This year’s Ghana Club 100 Awards was on the theme: “Sustainable Agriculture: The Bedrock of Ghana’s Industrial Drive,” which brought together captains of industry, policymakers, ministers of State, traditional leaders and the Diplomatic Community.

Dignitaries present included Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Allan Kwadwo Kyerematen, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ernest Addison, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, and Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, the General Manager of the Ghana News Agency.

It was organised by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre to recognise the 100 best-performing companies in Ghana for their contributions towards the growth of the economy.