Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah (R) and Ibok-Ete Ibas
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has officially invited the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ibok-Ete Ibas to this year’s National Coconut Festival, which will be held in Takoradi.
The National event will take place between September 26 and 28, 2023.
The Regional Minister, through the office of the High Commissioner has also invited Nigerian investors to look out for opportunities in the region to invest particularly, in rice cultivation.
The Minister said Ghana aims for rice sufficiency, as Nigeria has almost succeeded at that through the exploits of a former Ghanaian legislature, Abraham Dwuma Odoom.
This came light when the Western Regional minister paid a courtesy call on the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana at the Nigerian House in Accra.
Mr. Darko-Mensah emphasized that there are many similarities between Ghana’s most resourced region, the Western Region, and Nigeria, and stressed the need to formalize their relationship for mutual benefits.
He pointed out that Nigeria is the highest buyer of Ghana’s coconut, most of which come from the Western Region.
Nigerian High Commissioner, Ibok-Ete Ibas, was grateful to the Western Regional Minister for the visit and the invitation.
He, however, bemoaned how Africa is yet to properly take advantage of its many natural resources for prosperity.
He said Ghana is already a major destination for Nigerians in December and assured that the High Commission was going to do its best to market Takoradi as a destination for Nigerians to explore.
He further encouraged the minister to take steps to make it easier for Nigerians to be able to fly directly to Takoradi from Nigeria, without having to make a stop in Accra.
He was confident that in the near future, the Masquerade Carnival could be held in Nigeria, and then Takoradi could host its own edition of the Calabar carnival organized in Nigeria.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi