‘Govt will partner independent power producers’

President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday said progress in the stabilisation of power and energy in the country would be in partnership with independent power producers.

He said although the government was doing its best to reverse the current long hours of lights off, partnership with the independent power producers would facilitate the process.

President Mahama said this when a business delegation from the Qatar Investment Authority, who are in the country to explore areas of investment, called on him at Akosombo in the Eastern Region.

The delegation, in the country in response to President Mahama's visit to the oil-rich country last year, are exploring in the areas of agriculture, power, health and education.

President Mahama expressed satisfaction that investors were coming into the area of power at the time that the country was experiencing deficits in power supply.

On agriculture, President Mahama said the Food and Agriculture Organisation had estimated that Africa would become the food basket by 2050 when the world population would hit 9 billion.

"Investment in agriculture will increase Ghana's food production to make her an exporter to neighbouring countries," he said.

President Mahama said Ghana had adequate bauxite deposits, and therefore investing in the smelting ity would add value to the product for export and create more jobs for Ghanaians.

He said the government would also partner investors in the areas of transport and appealed to other investors to take advantage of the available opportunities.

Sheik Faisal Bin Saoud Al-Thani, the leader of the delegation, said they were mapping out strategies with the Ghana Investment Promotion Council and at the appropriate time they would roll out their investment programme.