GHANA, LIBERIA TO STRENGTHEN TIES

Ghana and Liberia have indicated their willingness to strengthen the ties of cooperation existing between them for accelerated economic growth and development.
The Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr Kwame Amporfo-Twumasi and the Liberian Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy, Dr Eugene Shannon expressed these sentiments when Mr Amfomfo Twumasi paid a courtesy call on the latter Monrovia last Monday.
Accompanying the Mr Amporfo-Twumasi were the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy, Mrs Gifty Eugenia Kusi, the Director of Power at the Ministry of Energy, Mr Emmanuel Antwi Darkwa, a Deputy Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Mr Eric Yankah, and other officials of the VRA and the MOE working with the Liberian Electricity Company (LEC) to restore the electricity infrastructure system completely destroyed during the 15 year war of Liberia.
Mr Amporfo-Twumasi said Ghana was willing and interested in exploring other opportunities of cooperation in Liberia and other friendly African countries.
He lauded the collaboration and cooperation of the Liberians with workers of the VRA in the restoration of electricity to key areas of Liberia under an emergency power programme (EPP) of the Liberian Government.
Dr Shannon on his part said Liberia was gradually getting on its feet, with the economy gradually picking up and its skilled labour trickling in from countries where they had sought refuge during the war.
He said the country had begun prospecting its mines for minerals, and several billions of dollars worth of contract had been signed.
Dr Shannon added that skilled labour and expertise in engineering, geology, environmental protection and other allied mining professions were therefore required to help in that sector.
He said Ghana and Liberia could, therefore, cooperate in areas of skills and technical knowledge transfer through sterling institutions such as the Tarkwa School of Mines in Tarkwa.
The Government of Ghana in 2006 through the VRA, begun assisting the Liberian Government with technical assistance to restore the country’s electricity.
The programme was funded by the European Commission, the United States of America and the Liberian Government with the Government of Ghana and the VRA providing technical assistance and implementing the programme.

DAILY GRAPHIC, THURSDAY MARRCH 13, 2008