Government woos Japanese business community
Ghana is wooing the Japanese business community to partner government in the country’s infrastructure development.
“We invite them; we invite investors, we invite financiers, we invite concessioners, transaction advisors and consultants to take opportunity to discuss any area of interest for a win-win situation.
“We particularly wish to invite our friends from Japan to look favourably to Ghana and partner government in the country’s infrastructure development to the mutual interest of the two countries,” the Minister of National Security, Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, told the Japan business community at a Ghana-Japan high quality infrastructure conference in Accra.
A 26-member business executive delegation from Japan, led by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Mr Shinsuke Suematsu, which is in the country currently, participated in the conference.
Members of the delegation will also identify potential areas of business interest.
The day’s conference, a collaboration between the government of Ghana and the Japanese Embassy in Accra, was attended by players in the road and transport sectors.
It was to discuss and harness investment opportunities in the roads and building sectors towards the development and improvement of infrastructure in Ghana.
Appreciation
Mr Dapaah, who recalled the relationship between the two countries dating back to the 1920s, thanked the Japanese government for all the assistance it had rendered to Ghanaians and stated that Ghanaians would forever be grateful to the Japanese government for the various development projects, including the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.
Mr Dapaah said the government was committed to closing the wide gap in infrastructure requirement for the expected industrialisation and hinted that the government intended to draw up an integrated infrastructure development programme to attract financing from the private sector.
“We have already established the Ghana Infrastructural Investment Fund to partner the private sector to finance critical infrastructural projects,” he said and explained that the establishment of the fund would enable such projects to be managed on commercial basis.
PPP opportunities
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta, who also spoke at the event, said the opportunities for maintaining and deepening the arrangements for collaboration and participation for Japanese companies in the country were enormous.
He mentioned examples as joint ventures with local contracting firms, plant hire and direct investment in the road and the transportation sectors.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, acknowledged the long-standing relations between the two countries and urged Japan and other development partners to help Ghana obtain its development projects.
He said there were a number of projects under the ministry for Public Private Partnerships (PPP), adding, for instance, that the government was seeking for a strategic private sector investor to partner the Volta lake Transport Company (VLTC) Ltd to develop and manage the lake transport system.
Strong ties
In a statement, Mr Suematsu lauded the long-lasting relations between Ghana and Japan and was hopeful that the business delegation from Japan would find potential investment areas in Ghana.
The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Kaoru Yoshimura, said the peace and political stability in Ghana, was attracting Japanese investors into the country.
He said Japan was committed to strengthening its relations with Ghana and was determined to forge partnership with the country as well.
Writer’s Email: severious.dery@graphic.com.gh