We'll Help To Preserve Ghana's Democracy -Yates

United States Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Mary Carlin Yates said on Friday that her country would help to preserve Ghana's democracy by investing in key areas of the economy and expand bilateral trade between the two countries.

Mrs Yates was responding to a statement made by Vice President Aliu Mahama that the government was committed to entrenching good governance and the rule of law in Ghana, when she called on him at the Castle, Osu.


She said: "Washington is monitoring developments in Ghana and we would help to preserve the democratic environment. We would continue to support the health, particularly HIV/ AIDS, energy, agriculture sectors and other areas.


"That is how Ghanaians would know that it is better to live in a democracy."


Mrs Yates said America, through the expansion of trade and investment opportunities, would assist Ghana's economy to grow.


She said various business delegations, such as the Ronald Brown Institute for Sub-Saharan Africa, would visit Ghana to explore ways of developing the private sector.

Mr Michael Brown, President of the Ronald Brown Institute, is in the country to help small and medium enterprises to expand.


Vice President Mahama welcomed the goodwill and said the government was determined to create wealth and jobs for all Ghanaians.


He said Ghana wanted to optimise the benefits from AGOA because she needed more investments and trade for the economy to flourish.


The Vice President, however, expressed concern about the threat to peace and stability in the West African Sub- Region, saying that was why ECOWAS needed the aid of the United States to resolve the six-month Ivorian political crisis.


He commended the US for her immense support to the energy, education and health sectors.