The High Commissioner of Namibia, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, on Monday began a five-day economic familiarisation tour of the Volta Region.
The visit is to enable her to identify trade and investment opportunities in the region and connect businesses and institutions in the region with her country.
The envoy commenced the visit with a call on the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, at his office in Ho.
She said the mission was also to explore areas of technical cooperation, tourism promotion and cultural exchanges, and identify possibilities for twinning areas in the Volta Region with suitable regions in Namibia.
“We want to move from good political relations to stronger economic and people-to-people relations,” the High Commissioner added.
In that regard, she said, the Namibia High Commission saw the Volta Region as particularly interesting because of its agricultural, tourism, coastal and fisheries resources, cross-border trade, entrepreneurship, and proximity to other countries.
Mrs Nghituwamata pointed out that Ghana and Namibia had historically enjoyed warm relations, including solidarity during Namibia’s liberation struggle, saying that provided a strong foundation for expanding economic ties.
She said the High Commission was now undertaking a series of regional economic familiarisation visits to better understand Ghana beyond Accra.
Responding, Mr Gunu said the cordial ties between the two countries were not rooted merely in diplomatic protocol, but also in a shared history of liberation, Pan-Africanism, sacrifice, and common determination to see Africa free, united, and prosperous.
He said through education and training opportunities, Ghana contributed to the development of human capital that would later play a role in building an independent Namibia.
“The solidarity between the two countries is, therefore, not simply a relationship between governments, but between people united by a common African destiny,” Mr Gunu maintained.
He said it was particularly encouraging that the High Commission of Namibia was championing initiatives that brought people of the two countries together beyond diplomacy.
“Ghana and Namibia have already demonstrated that African countries can stand together in times of difficulty.
“The challenge before us now is to demonstrate that we can prosper together”, said the regional minister.
The Volta Regional Economic Planning Officer, Felix Adom Boateng, said the absence of illegal mining activities in the region made it an appropriate destination for investments in tourism, agriculture, fisheries and entrepreneurship.
Further, he said, the region’s proximity to Togo made it suitable for lucrative cross-border business.
Shedding more light on the region’s tourism potential, Mr Boateng said it was home to the country’s highest waterfall, highest human settlement and highest mountain.
He said the tourism potential in the region was being enhanced by the hospitality industry and the numerous festivals in the various towns.
Mr Boateng maintained that the region, with a population of close to two million, had the needed human capital for business in the tourism and agricultural sectors.
The Dean of Municipal and District Chief Executives, Jerry Ameko, said collaboration between the region and Namibia would definitely yield positive economic results.
Mr Ameko, the DCE for Adaklu, also described the twin-cities initiative between the region and Namibia as a highly lucrative opportunity.
