Veep urges French businesses to invest in Ghana

The Vice-President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on French businessmen to take advantage of Ghana's conducive environment to invest in the nation.

He said the government was actively encouraging joint venture businesses between Ghanaians and their foreign counterparts as well as promoting Public Private Partnership.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the call at the Ghana-Bordeaux Business Forum in Accra.

The forum, organised by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), in collaboration with the Ghana Embassy in France and the French Embassy in Ghana, is to showcase the various business opportunities in Ghana to the visiting French business delegation.

The visit by the group to the country is a reciprocal visit to an earlier one by President Mahama to the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce in October last year.

The 30-man Business Delegation from Bordeaux who would be in the country for five-days are expected to explore business opportunities in the areas of agri-business, hospitality and tourism, education, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, transport, energy, ICT, waste management and infrastructure.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur also said over the past 15 years Ghana and France had witnessed a rapid increase in economic and commercial relations.

He said bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded $1.5billion in 2013, exports of $1.2billion made up mainly of cocoa, fish and fruits and approximately $340 imports mainly of wheat, chemicals and electronic equipment.

He called for clear objectives to increase trade between Ghana and France for the mutual benefit of their people.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur further stated that the reasons why French businesses continue to maintain interest in Ghana were due to the country’s reputation as a performing African economy.

He said Ghana being broad-minded and tolerant of differing views has created this remarkable atmosphere of peace and security.

He said despite the hostile global environment, the country’s economy continues to make progress, adding that the nation possesses natural resources whose exploitation provides for the employment for the people.

“We treasure our political and social stability and the freedom we have created that allow our people to express their views,” he added.

Mrs Mawuena Trebarh, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, called on the participants to use the first meeting of the forum to enhance their business relationship as well as build huge future entities.

She also called for constructive engagement between Ghanaian and French businesses to collaborate in their respective fields of engagements