The Japanese Delegation with Ken Ofori-Atta
An eight-member delegation from Japanese Embassy and JICA headquarters in Japan has paid a courtesy call on Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance at his office in Accra.
The team, led by Kaoru Yoshimura, Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, included Kazuhiko Koshikawa, Executive Senior Vice President, JICA-Tokyo and Noriaki Sadamoto, First Secretary, Japan Embassy.
Receiving the delegation, the Minister expressed gratitude to Japan for the decades of cooperation with Ghana in the various sectors of the economy.
Mr. Ofori-Atta said the government was committed to stabilizing the macro economy, strengthening revenue collection and ensuring value for money in government contracts.
He said government was also implementing measures to re-profile the country’s debt, adding that all these measures were aimed at freeing fiscal space for growth and jobs.
Hon Minister took the opportunity to invite investors from Japan to take advantage of the peace and security in the country and partner government to make Accra, the Dubai in Africa, i.e. a conference and business destination.
He expressed appreciation to JICA for its support in various sectors of the economy over the years, adding that Ghana looks forward to a sustainable and effective cooperation between the two countries to accelerate her development.
Mr. Koshikawa reiterated the commitment of Japan to assisting Ghana through Technical Cooperation Projects; Technical Cooperation for Development Planning; Country-focused Training; JICA Partnership Programs, Grant Aid and Loan Aid.
He said some of JICA projects, as of March 2017, involves the construction of a new bridge across the Volta River as part of the Eastern Corridor Project; strengthening Community based Health Services and focusing on the Life-Course Approach in the three Northern Regions.
Project for Enhancing Market Based Agriculture by Small Holderness and Private Sector Linkage in Kpong Irrigation Scheme and Project for construction of Advanced Research Center for Infectious Diseases at the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research are also part of the projects by JICA.
Mr. Koshikawa highlighted the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship Phase 2 and the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, where he added that approximately 80 Japanese volunteers were in the country, the highest in the world.
In attendance from MoF were Charles Adu-Boahen, Deputy Minister-designate; Abena Osei Asare, Deputy Minister-designate; Yvonne Quansah, Director, ERM-Bilateral and Ali Mohammed, Head, Japan, China, Korea Unit.
Other JICA officials included Koji Makina, Chief Representative, JICA-Ghana; Masanori Kurisu, Director, Africa Department; Akiko Komori, Deputy Director; Masashi Yamamoto and Joshua B. Mabe, JICA representatives.
Source:Â Public Relations Unit (MoF)