France to increase investments in Ghana - Prime Minister

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said French businesses are ready to increase their investments in all sectors of the Ghana's economy.

He said Ghana was stable, peaceful and had an enabling environment that could attract fresh investments.

Prime Minister Valls said this when he called on President John Dramani Mahama at the Flagstaff House, Kanda, as part of his two-day official visit to Ghana.

The Prime Minister, who is in the country, would among other issues cement some of the relations and cooperation that had been initiated in the past and explore fresh avenues of investments in the country and the entire West African coast.

He said Ghana had distinguished herself in all spheres of development and France was delighted to be associated with their onward march to further the development especially in the areas of transport and engineering.

President Mahama commended the French government for the confidence reposed in Ghana adding; "we have over the years derived maximum benefits from our relations with France."

He cited a water project in the Brong Ahafo Region, where over 300,000 people were accessing and enjoying potable water provided by the French government.

President Mahama said existing French companies in the country were performing creditably well and would like to have more of them in coming days.

He said Cocoa Touton, a French Cocoa processing factory in Ghana, has been phenomenal in adding value to the raw cocoa, a situation that had also created a number of job opportunities for young Ghanaians.

President Mahama said apart from the processing, Cocoa Touton had also been engaged by government to support in the reviving of the coffee industry in Ghana as a worthy substitute to cocoa, gold and oil.

The President commended the French government for their fight against terrorism and oppression especially her support to the restoration of peace to Ivory Coast, Mali, Burkina Faso among other West African countries.