Ghana, Nigeria renew ties
Ghana and Nigeria agreed to work together to restore energy security to the peoples of their respective countries as the two West African giants renewed existing ties with a visit by President Muhammadu Buhari to Accra Monday.
Advertisement
On his maiden visit to Ghana as a democratic President, Gen. Buhari and his host, John Dramani Mahama, came out of a two-hour meeting at the Peduase Lodge fully convinced that collaboration between their governments was a sure way of taking their countries out of their biting power crisis.
Ghanaians have had to endure a power crisis stretching over three years.
For Nigeria, although it has one of the world’s largest oil and gas reserves, a combination of problems relating to policy, infrastructure and difficulty in raising capital for projects has led to recurrent power shortages.
Arrival
When he arrived aboard the Nigeria Air Force One aircraft, President Buhari received a tumultuous welcome at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
As the military band played the Nigeria National Anthem, a 21-gun salute boomed in the background.
The visiting Nigerian leader inspected a guard of honour mounted by a detachment of the Ghana Air Force, after which the two leaders went into a bilateral meeting at the Peduase Lodge.
Briefing
President Mahama, who briefed the media on details of the meeting, said they discussed the strengthening of the already strong bond of relations between the two countries and how to enhance cooperation, especially in trade and sub-regional security.
He said the two countries decided to renew their Joint Commission on Cooperation, with their Foreign Ministries tasked to start the process and move it to another level.
They also moved to strengthen intelligence and their anti-graft institutions.
While congratulating President Buhari on his decisive victory in the Nigerian presidential election and his 100 days in office, which fell last
Saturday, Mr Mahama said the successful elections in Nigeria demonstrated that country’s resolve to strengthen its democracy and international reputation.
He also commended President Buhari on his three-point agenda of security, economic revival and fight against corruption.
Touching on regional integration, which also featured in the discussions, President Mahama said Ghana and Nigeria must lead integration efforts, which had the capacity to bring about enormous benefits.
Boko Haram
The Boko Haram insurgency and how it could be tackled was, as expected, not left out of the meeting and Mr Mahama commended his guest for the proactive measures he had taken so far on it.
As the immediate past Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr Mahama said he had followed the progress the Buhari administration had made on the issue and mentioned how the former military leader had worked assiduously to bring neighbouring countries together to fight the terrorists on a united front.
He expressed the hope that the effort would add to that of the multi-national Joint Task Force of the African Union (AU).
Another point of discussion between the two leaders was the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union.
Besides, they discussed the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Africa which Mr Mahama said would be launched at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He further indicated that the 40th anniversary of ECOWAS, which would be held in Abuja on a date yet to be decided, came up at the meeting.
He commended Nigeria for taking the lead in the implementation of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff.
He expressed the hope that Ghana’s Parliament would give the approval for Ghana to follow suit with the implementation.
Advertisement
Support
President Mahama assured Gen. Buhari of his government’s support to successfully see through his vision for Nigeria and expressed the hope that the Nigerian leader would extend a similar hand of support to his (Mahama’s) administration.
Buhari
Answering questions from journalists, President Buhari said the declaration of his assets was a constitutional requirement.
On what lessons that declaration had for Ghana, he said Ghanaians themselves must decide, once it was a constitutional issue.
To a question on Boko Haram, he said some amount of success had been achieved, as the group had been pushed to the Simbisa Forest.
Gen. Buhari, who was on a one-day visit, left Accra later Monday afternoon.
Advertisement