“Well guys, it’s official. D-day has come and gone. It’s gone past five o’clock, Monday. No contract has been signed,” Fury said on Instagram.
“It’s officially over for Joshua. He is now out in the cold with the wolfpack.
“Forget about it. Always knew you didn’t have the minerals to fight the ‘Gypsy king’.
“Regardless of what you say now, I don’t really care. Good luck with your career, and your life. End of. Peace out.”
Joshua’s team have already verbally accepted Fury’s offer of a 60-40 purse split for a fight on 3 December, and television executives from BT Sport and streaming service DAZN were scheduled to meet on Monday.
“It ain’t in my hands, it’s with a legal team,” Joshua said on Instagram.
An Accra Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, has remanded the Galamsey Queen, Aisha Huang, and three others into Nsawam Prisons custody, following a plea by Captain Nkrabeah Effah Dartey (rtd) that accessing the accused persons at the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) cells was as difficult as “going into a virgin’s hole.”
Capt Dartey (rtd), while praying the court to grant Aisha Huang, a Chinese woman who has gained notoriety as a ‘Galamsey Iron Lady’, Johng Li Hua, Aisha’s alleged daughter, Huang Jei, and Huaid Hia Hun, complained about how it was totally incommunicado to engage the four in the NIB cells.
Per the argument tabled for bail yesterday, the ex-serviceman said on September 14 this year, the accused persons were put before the court on two charges, engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a valid license, and mining without a license, and the Chinese nationals were denied bail.
He said the prosecution opposed the bail on the grounds that the case was still under investigation, yet had failed to appear before the court with the excuse that he was bereaved, meanwhile, he was under an obligation to brief the court on how far they had gone with their investigation.
He added: “I’m sure his representative is here to ask for a date.”
Aisha Huang
His challenge was that he would not have had any problem if the trial was a civil case, which the parties could go home to their normal lives in this circumstance, but the case was criminal in nature and it was only the court that could determine the accused persons’ guilt.
It was at this instance that he disclosed that the two females involved in the case were mother and daughter, and that they shouldn’t be penalised simply because they were not Ghanaians. He added that if the court went on that trajectory, it would create a wrong and false impression on the international scene.
Capt Effah Dartey (rtd) further averred that the court mind the fact that the law was no respecter of persons, therefore, the issue at stake was to determine whether a crime had been committed or not, and for the wheel of justice to deal with it squarely.
The court was urged to exercise its discretion to grant the accused persons bail, since every crime was a bailable offence in Ghana.
Holding Detective Inspector Frederick Sarpong’s brief, Inspector Isaac Babaye prayed the court to refuse the bail motion, since the judge was not a timorous soul as the counsel tried to project that he may be influenced by the Attorney General, media, or public opinion.
According to him, the prosecution wanted justice not to just be done, but manifestly being done, stressing: “We (the prosecution) are putting our facts together; the prosecution is ready to prosecute this matter.”
He continued that the accused persons did not have a fixed place of abode and not to talk of being gainfully employed in the country.
Inspector Babaye averred that investigations had so far disclosed that the Chinese nationals entered the country through illegal means, and as such, they were not fit to be granted bail.
Inspector Babaye further stated that being innocent of a crime was not tantamount to bail, since in the case of “The Republic versus Dosiah (a Nigerian case)”, the presiding judge ruled that justice was a three way traffic – justice for accused, complainant/victim and the state – and in this case Ghana deserves justice.
Aisha’s trial not a murder case
As part of the effort to support his argument for bail, Capt Nkrabeah Effah Dartey (rtd) reiterated that Aisha’ trial was not a murder case, and that the media, which he claims was spilling garbage on the case into the public domain, and that the court should not pay attention to it, reported that a man had killed his wife and taken his own life in Berekum, where he hails from.
Per his argument, this issue was more serious than the trial of Aisha Huang, which the media had hyped so much.
The court immediately interjected that the murderer in question killed just one person in this scenario, whereas, galamsey was polluting the country’s water bodies, which was affecting everybody.
The court further stated emphatically in its ruling on the bail applications that “galamsey is one single activity that is affecting all living beings, whilst human beings are complaining the fishes in the rivers are suffering and the animals in forests that depend on these water bodies are dying, because their habitats are being disturbed.”
H/H Acquah noted that it was being reported in the media that cocoa farms were being given to illegal miners and trenches dug in these farms were so dangerous that they had prevented other farmers from having access to their farms.
The judge feared that Ghana, in the near future, would be importing water, as the Ghana Water Company had given notice that it would soon shut its machines from operating if the galamsey menace was not curbed, saying: “I pray that all stakeholders should take a strong stance against galamsey.”
According to His Honour, the reality of illegal mining had dawned on the country, particularly when one sat behind a television and saw the havoc it had caused to the environment, for all persons to take action.
He said it was important that the general public came together to put an end to illegal mining, due to the dire consequences it continued to have on the environment.
Bail Denied
The court denied the bail applications filed by Mr. Nkrabeah Effah Dartey and counsel for Aisha Huang’s daughter, Franklyn Kumakoh, on the grounds that the galamsey goddess who was also identified as Huang Rei Ruixia, may escape trial.
According to the court, Aisha Huang was reported to have been deported from Ghana, but how she re-entered the country, only she could tell. “That means the possibility of escaping trial is very high… Section 89(j) also gives to the court to refuse bail. The bail application is hereby denied.”
The brief facts
The brief facts presented to the court by the prosecutor indicated that the complainants in this case were Security and Intelligence officers based in Accra, while all the accused persons were Chinese nationals who had gained notoriety in engaging in a series of small-scale mining activities, known as “galamsey”, across the country.
He said, during 2017, Aisha Huang was arrested for a similar offence, but managed to sneak out of the country, averting prosecution.
Unfortunately, he added, during the early part of this year, Aisha Huang sneaked back into the country after having changed the details of her Chinese passport.
DC/Ins Sarpong added that Aisha Huang again resumed illegal small-scale mining activities without a license, and together with the other accused persons, engaged in the purchases and sale of minerals in Accra without a valid authority granted, as required by the Minerals and Mining Act.
He stated that Johng Li Hua, Huang Jei and Huaid Hai Hun were also into the sale of equipment used in illegal mining activities.
The prosecuting officer narrated to the court that the accused persons were arrested upon intelligence gathered by intelligent officers.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a photograph with a delegation from Christian Council of Ghana on an impending Youth Conference in Ghana.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (left)
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has given some words of hope to the young and old in the country, Africa and the world at large, in the face of economic difficulties.
According to the President, in life a child falls many times before his or her feet are well grounded enough to walk, stressing that “… that’s a life process. You fall and you get up. You don’t stay down.”
This statement of hope by the President perfectly resonates with the current mood of the nation and the assurance given by the government that there would be light at the end of the tunnel.
The government has faced widespread public criticisms for the economic hardship, a situation that the government acknowledges and says it is working to change the narrative.
ALL AFRICAN CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES
President Akufo-Addo made the statement yesterday, when a delegation from the All-African Conference of Churches paid a courtesy call on him at Jubilee House.
The meeting discussed issues relating to the youth of Africa, particularly the need to imbibe hope in them so that they do not leave the continent to seek greener pastures.
The delegation had met the President through the Ghana Christian Council of Churches to invite him to the youth conference to be hosted in Ghana in November, this year.
Addressing President Akufo-Addo on behalf of the delegation, the General Secretary of the All-African Conference of Churches, Rev. Dr. Fidon Mwombeki, noted that the reasons that make people leave Africa to seek greener pastures are known by all.
He mentioned that, “instead of each one thinking that other places are better and trying whatever they can to go to other places and we understand why -because of the difficulties they find themselves in and the disappointment with the political and economic systems…
“But the conception was, well, it is true that other places have better lives. We cannot deny that. Other places have better job opportunities, but we decided to go with the motto: Africa, my home, my future. Knowing that even though in other places life may be better and it may be easier to find a job, it is not our home…,” he observed.
PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO
President Akufo-Addo spoke highly of the churches and the role they play, particularly in the darkest days of the pandemic.
He reiterated that his government had always emphasised the importance of faith-based organisations in the country.
TOPIC WORTHWHILE
Commenting on the subject, President Akufo-Addo opined that it was the best possible expression of what should be a flagship concept in the mobilisation of the youth.
He stressed that as a result of the difficulties on the continent, several young people encounter tragedies in their quest to look for succour abroad, some of whom drown in the sea.
However, he was fortified that these things were not peculiar to Africa only, citing the migration of Italians, for instance, to America at the end of the 19th century because the country was not working then.
Regardless, President Akufo-Addo believes the continent will have to continue to build societies that can become an inspiration to young people to stay and contribute.
President Akufo-Addo cited the history of Ghana, including the aborigines and the inspiration of independence, to make the point that a lot had been done to see the continent at its current state, though more could be done.
“This is not too surprising. A child falls many times before he is able to walk. We were new nations and would have difficulties… but then that’s a life process. You fall and you get up. You don’t stay down, and that is what I think is our period, trying to stand on our own feet,” President Akufo-Addo asserted and explained the reason for his mantra, Ghana Beyond Aid.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says restructuring of Ghana’s debt will be dependent on the outcome of its Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) Report. It has, therefore, shot down speculations that Ghana is poised to start talks on restructuring of its debt as part of plans to secure a $3 billion loan from the Fund.
Addressing a news conference at Washington, the Director of Communications for the Bretton Woods Institution, Gerry Rice, said the DSA report will indicate if there was the need for debt restructuring in the first place and if necessary, how it should be carried out as well as which areas will be affected.
“When a country requests financing from the IMF, we assess whether the country’s policies are consistent with debt sustainability as one of our requirements. We still need to conduct a thorough update of the debt situation in Ghana through our Debt Sustainability Analysis.
“The last, I don’t know if it’s useful, I have here the last DSA, Debt Sustainability Analysis. We published this as part of the 2021 Article IV Staff Report with Ghana.
“It said public debt was a sustainable conditional on a rigorous and credible implementation of the authority’s medium term consolidation plan to put debt on a declining trajectory and ensure continued market access,” Mr Rice stressed.
This, he said, will inform the next line of action as government and the Fund remain committed to ensuring no harm is done to the interest of stakeholders as a result of this program.
Meanwhile, the IMF team are in town to continue official negotiations with government for the loan request.
Clement Sangaparee - United Cadres Front, Mr. Johnny Osei Kofi, a former Deputy Chief of Staff – For Ashanti Project and Nana Nanabanyin Queesy Ninsin-Imbeah - Senior Cadre
The proposed “Ashanti Project” by the Ashanti Caucus of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has met massive condemnation by Cadres and old guards of the party and non Asante indigenes in the party.
Nana Nanabanyin Queesy Ninsin-Imbeah II, Secretary of the Defunct Kumasi Metropolitan Central Coordinating Committee of Work place CDRs and Comrade Clement Sangaparee, a founding member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and member of the United Cadres Front of the party are vexed about the said project, which is intended to champion
the bid to ensure that all persons who aspire for positions at the regional level in the impending regional elections are Asante indigenes.
The senior Cadres have condemned the project in no uncertain terms, describing it as a bad political project.
Mr. Johnny Osei Kofi, a former Deputy Chief of Staff under the Mahama administration, has confirmed the emergence of the tribal agenda dubbed “The Ashanti Project” in the NDC, during an interview with Sompa TV, in Kumasi.
He told the host, Omanhene Yaw Adu Boakye that, the idea that an Asante leads the NDC in Ashanti is not his personal idea.
“It is something we started back in 1992 with even Chairman Rawlings” and explained that “it was a deliberate idea to get more Ashantis leading the party here, just to make it attractive”.
Mr. Osei Kofi stressed that the fact that we (NDC) abandoned that idea over the years does not mean we cannot go back to it. It is something some of our big men in Accra support and, therefore, he will not shy away from it today or tomorrow.
He questioned if it is possible to go to the Volta region and see Osei Kofi leading the party as chairman, or go to the North and see Osei Tutu as chairman there.
“Why should Ashanti be different”, he queried and concluded that he was stating facts and not preaching tribal politics.
But Nanabanyin Ninsin-Imbeah says “the project is a clear demonstration and unfortunate exhibition of hatred for non-Asantes”.
According to him, the NDC has never known and seen such gross wickedness and pure hatred for other tribes before.
He urged the leadership of the party to take a cue from the shining example of the Ashanti King, Opemsuo Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, under who the Asanteman Council and the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) have accepted all other tribes in their fold to constitute a cosmopolitan
enclave, and discourage such a poisonous agenda.
The ex-Nyimfahen of the Mfantseman Council in the Ashanti Region has, therefore, called on all non-Asantes in the NDC in the Ashanti Region to guard against the introduction of a new type of Comradeship in the party.
Mr. Clement Sangaparee, a founding member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and member of the Obuasi branch of the United Cadres Front cautioned the party to be wary of the Project because it could affect the electoral fortunes of the party in the region and at the
national level.
According to him, the hate campaign allegedly championed by the former Regional NDC Chairman, Yaw Obimpe, brought the Party back to Opposition in 2016 and advised the NDC Council of Elders to tread carefully.
He called on delegates to vote against all aspirants who campaign on tribal lines.
Elections for regional executives of the party have been scheduled to take place in November this year.
The Medical and Dental Council (MDC) of Ghana has said it will not recognise medical degrees obtained from war ravaged Ukraine.
The Council said it had observed that since the Russia and Ukraine war started, some tertiary courses conducted in the war-torn country, including medicine and dentistry, have been converted online, a situation the Council says is ineffective for the nature of the medical and dental programme.
The Chronicle agrees with the Council’s decision and would encourage it not to heed any pressure from any quarters to relent on this bold directive.
It is true that Ukraine, Cuba and Venezuela have, over the years, been an educational haven for quality training of Ghanaian students who have sought medical education in these countries.
The MDC has, over the years, not failed to recognise and license students who return to the country with degrees from any of the above-mentioned countries, because of the credibility they have gained over the years.
It is sad that no one knows when this Ukraine and Russia madness is going to stop, but it also does not mean that, as a country, we should toy with our educational system.
The study of medicine and dentistry is different from the study of programmes in the humanities. Unlike in the humanities which involves a lot of reading and easier to be pursued online, the study of medicine is not so.
It is trite knowledge that medicine involves a lot of practical work, and one has to be present in the science laboratories to be able to grasp the practical aspect of the courses.
This is why it will be difficult to allow our students to acquire medical degrees online and expect the MDC to license them. It is unacceptable!
Though a developing country, Ghanaian graduates who travel outside to seek greener pastures have a record of gaining employment easily with their certificates, due to the trust that some countries have in our educational system, which we have built over years. So we cannot sit aloof and watch that credibility go down the drain.
Another reason we cannot allow online medicine certificates is because doing so will embolden foreign countries to look down on our certificates and also the Universities that produce the students.
The Russia-Ukraine war has already had a devastating impact on the Ghanaian economy. Prices of fuel, food and other items have skyrocketed because a chunk of the world’s fertilizer, cereal, wheat and oil come from Russia and Ukraine.
The Chronicle is of the view that if we cannot control the prices of our natural resources, food and fuel because of our lack of innovation, at least we should jealously protect the training of our high quality human resource which is an envy to the world.
We certainly have control over our educational system and we must maintain the quality.
We join the Council to encourage Ghanaians studying medicine and dentistry in Ukraine to enroll onto the government’s initiative, which is intended to help absorb them into Ghanaian universities, so that they can continue with their studies.
The Ivory Coast-bound truck lying on its side with its cargo being transferred into another vehicle
Barely a week after The Chronicle reported on the death trap portion of the Ewusiedjoe-Agona-Nkwanta road, an Ivory Coast-bound truck, loaded with soft drinks, was caught in the death trap portion of the road, falling on it half side.
This incident occurred a few metres from the Ewusiejoe portion of the deplorable Agona-Nwanta road.
For days the trapped lay until another truck was deployed to cart its cargo away.
It would be recalled that The Chronicle sounded the alarm bells about the deplorable condition of the Ewusiejoe road and how it remained a death trap, but nothing was done until the Ivory Coast-bound truck also overturned while plying it.
Recently, Ahanta chiefs in red cloth expressed regret over the deplorable state of roads in the area, giving an ultimatum to the Regional Minister to fix the roads else they would be forced to demonstrate to express their angst.
Awulae Agyefi Kwame II addressing the kundum celebrants
Some chiefs at the kundum celebration
The Chief and people of Lower Axim and Nsein have climaxed their annual Kundum Festival at a beautiful and colourful ceremony over the weekend.
The Paramount Chief of Lower Axim and Nsein Traditional Council, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, sat in state together with his Divisional and other sub-chiefs.
Prior to this, the Divisional chiefs were carried in palanquins following the Overlord, who was also riding in a palanquin to the festival grounds.
The Kundum Festival, which was on the theme “Developing Women’s Entrepreneurial Capabilities – The way forward,” saw dignitaries such as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Kofi Arko Nokoe, and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Elizabeth Dorcas Amoah, amongst other chiefs gracing the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II advised women entrepreneurs to register their businesses to prepare them for great progress and transformation.
This would create opportunities for them to get financial support from the government and other institutions.
He stressed that most of these businesses of the women were in the informal sector, but were not officially registered.
“So when they apply for loan from the financial institutions, it becomes difficult for their loans to be processed and granted, because the business was not properly managed or registered.
“Women struggle to obtain financial support from government, banks, and other investors, because they often have less contact with business networks. And this significantly restricts their market access,” Agyefi Kwame observed.
According to the Chief, entrepreneurship represented an important opportunity to increase the participation of women in the economy and realised growth potentials.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Nzema East, Dorcas Elizabeth Amoah, in an interview, said it was essential for the woman entrepreneurs to be consistent in managing the standard and quality of their businesses for added value and growth.
She added that, being consistent with the standard and quality of their products would earn them more customers and market their products for expansion of their operations and incomes.
The Member of Parliament for Evalue Ajomoro Gwira, Kofi Arko Nokoe, also pleaded with Awulai Agyeifi Kwame II to call a meeting to dialogue on how to develop Nzema.
The Ankobra West Rural Bank, with its headquarters at Esiama in the Ellembelle Municipality of the Western Region, is now known as the Ankobra West Bank PLC in compliance with the Companies Act.
TAX
Section 7 of the Companies Act (Act 992) states that a company limited by shares with more than 50 shareholders is a public company, and by virtue of section 21 (1) (b) of the Act shall have the inscription public company or its abbreviation, PLC, at the end of its name.
The Bank, at the end of 2021, had more than 5,140 shareholders, satisfying the Act making it eligible to carry the PLC inscription.
The Board Chairman, Doctor Frank Boateng, who announced this at the Bank’s 30th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Esiama, said: “Your Bank had more than 5,140 shareholders at the end of the period under review.
In compliance with the aforementioned directive, a resolution will be passed at this meeting to change [its] name to Ankobra Rural Bank PLC.”
Chairman Boateng told the shareholders that the Ankobra Rural Bank PLC profit after tax for the year under review stood at GH¢253,255.00, as compared to GH¢148,686.00 for the year 2020.
Additionally, operating income for the year under review also stood at GH¢4,239,400.00, as compared to GH¢3,097,301 for the previous year.
BOARD COMPOSITION
The Board Chairman further told the shareholders that two of the Bank’s most experienced Directors, Paul Minlah Amihere and Rev. Alfred Godbless, who had served for nineteen and seventeen years respectively, had to step down in compliance with the Bank of Ghana (BoG) directive at the end of 31st December 2021.
He said paragraph 75 of the BoG Corporate Governance Directives states that a Director of an RCB who, prior to the coming into force of the directive, had served in that capacity for nine years or more shall not be eligible for another term upon the expiration of the current term in that RCB.
Director Boateng said, given that the Board of Directors recognised the importance of dividends, worked hard to chalk some significant gains in profit.
However, it was necessary to set some money aside to enable the Bank upgrade IT equipment, increase microfinance activities, and undertake feasibility studies for possible expansion.
In that direction, the Board would be unable to recommend the payment of dividends this year, as it is duty-bound to uphold prudential and internal guidelines from the regulators, including adequate provision for loan repayments resulting from the deterioration of some loans due to the insurgence of COVID-19.
That apart, it had also become increasingly necessary to build some reserves as a shield for any unexpected events. “We believe this will help make our Bank stronger, and to enable us pay dividends in the next year,” the Board Chairman told the shareholders.
DIRECTORS’ RENUMERATION
He said even though the Bank made significant gains, the Directors would not ask for an increase in the Boards fees, because of the same reasons adduced.
OUTLOOK
The most critical challenge of the Bank Chairman Boateng identified was the huge impairment of loans, which resulted in the high operating costs.
“As management takes steps to write off the system generated toxic assets, which has been reported to you at our previous meetings, they have also been mandated to take appropriate legal steps to recover our interests.
We assure you, however, that the issue of loan delinquency has been critically looked at, and in the future, this will not constitute a menace to your cherished Bank.”
PAID UP CAPITAL
According to him, paid up capital continued one of the most difficult areas of the Bank’s operations. He pointed out that over the course of 364 days management was only able to mobilise 929,500 shares, representing GH¢9,295.00 only.
The Board, he said, had noted this grave concern, which impedes the need to undertake possible branch expansion and had, therefore, re-equipped management to improve on its share mobilisation strategies.
Yesterday, four ambassadors representing their individual nations took turns to visit Jubilee House, the seat of Ghana’s Presidency, to handover their credentials per diplomatic etiquette.
The envoys were from Australia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Switzerland and Iran.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was available to receive each of the envoys at brief separate meetings, fused with little remarks about both countries.
DR CONGO
The Ambassador for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madam Jeannette Njuma Nyakeru, began her remark by acknowledging and commending Ghana’s hospitality. She continued by extending the warm greetings of her president and the country to President Akufo-Addo and Ghana.
She said her President would appreciate Ghana’s support in terms of security, especially as the latter represents the continent on the United Nations Security Council.
Further, Mad Nyakeru informed President Akufo-Addo that her President requested for a review of the rather ineffective bilateral relations between the two countries.
In his response, President Akufo-Addo congratulated the Ambassador on her appointment while welcoming her to Ghana. He recalled the longstanding relationship dating back to the first President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, at which time Ghanaian troops were dispatched to Congo, but relations had since become stalled.
President Akufo-Addo emphasised that it is important for the relationship to be reviewed and expressed hope that the presence of the Ambassador would bridge the gap.
AUSTRALIA
The Australian High Commission to Ghana, Mrs. Bernice Owen-Jones, addressing President Akufo-Addo on security, indicated that both countries could do more to address present challenges, like counter-terrorism.
She told President Akufo-Addo that mining has been the strong pillar behind the bilateral engagement of the two countries.
According to her, Australia is well versed in mining, adding that there is some $40 billion worth of investment by Australian mining companies in the sub-region, including Ghana.
Having outlined other areas her country has impacted, such as in education, the Ambassador continued that more could be done elsewhere.
On that score, she mentioned closer business-to-business and university-to-university links between her country and Ghana.
“Your Excellency, the Australian government is committed to working with your government to make the already strong relationship stronger,” she assured, and added that as the High Commissioner it would be an honour for her.
President Akufo-Addo congratulated her on the appointment. He recalled the relationship that has existed between Ghana and Australia.
He opined that it was good that the ambassador was in Ghana, especially as a member of the commonwealth.
President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the investment of Australia in the extraction sector of Ghana. He noted that there are about 26 Australian mining companies listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange, describing it as impressive.
Like the High Commissioner, President Akufo-Addo was also positive that the two countries could foster stronger relationships, and urged her to use her period in Ghana to the benefit of both countries.
SWITZERLAND
Madam Simone Giger, Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, addressed what she termed as excellent bilateral relations between both nations and hoped to intensify it.
The Ambassador said Ghana and Switzerland have strong development cooperation and expressed conviction that “everything that we do is very much in line with the vision of Ghana Beyond Aid.”
The focus of her country in Ghana, she indicated, is to develop the local private sector, to diversify the economy and to create jobs. She noted that her country, like others, acknowledges Ghana as the economic lioness on the continent. She touched on other areas of co-operation, including politics, education and climate change.
In his response, President Akufo-Addo congratulated her on her appointment and recalled the good relations between the two countries, that dates back to pre-independence, a relationship he said had been beneficial to both countries.
It was the hope of President Akufo-Addo that, through her time as Ambassador, Madam Simone Giger would work with the government to boost relations.
He noted the investment of Swiss companies in Ghana, but indicated that “we are looking forward to more economic intercourse” between the two countries.
IRAN
The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Bijan Gerami Nazoksara, recalled that Ghana-Iran relations started in the 1980s and has since been very good.
He touched on the policies of the government, including the One District, One Factory and Planting for Food and Jobs, while also sharing the story of Iran.
President Akufo-Addo congratulated him and acknowledged the impact of Iran in the areas of health and education in the country.
According to President Akufo-Addo, Ghana’s concern about the peaceful use of nuclear energy is very high. President Akufo-Addo consoled him on the issues confronting his country and assured him of Ghana’s support.
