Veep advocates domestic participation in energy financing

The Vice-President, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, has advocated domestic participation in financing energy, roads and other critical areas.

He expressed the government’s commitment to make the economy principally driven by the private sector, adding, “We are on course to encourage local participation across different sectors of the economy.”

Mr Amissah-Arthur made the call when a delegation from Citibank of Africa, led by its Chief Executive, Mr Naveed Riaz, called on him at the Flagstaff House in Accra Tuesday.

The Vice-President gave an assurance that the government would follow through its objective to ensure a public-private partnership (PPP) driven economy, particularly financing infrastructure, and welcomed the delegation to the country.

Over the past years, he said, the government had committed itself to boosting the confidence of the investment market and stressed the need for local entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunities available.

He expressed optimism over the presence of the delegation in the country, saying, “We believe your presence will help raise the local standard.”

Mr Amissah-Arthur used the occasion to brief the delegation on measures the government had put in place to address money laundering and terrorism.

For his part, Mr Riaz expressed grave interest in entering the Ghanaian market, saying, “We are working towards that direction.”

He lauded the government for its vision towards the effective provision of infrastructure which was very crucial for the smooth take-off of major development projects.

According to him, the government’s determination to move the country from its present state to an upper middle-income status was laudable and appealed to investors to invest in the country, as Ghana was a thriving market in Africa.

The delegation is expected to meet the management of the Volta River Authority (VRA), the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and heads of various financial  and banking institutions.

Story by Timothy Gobah