Ghana to share experiences in oil and gas with Senegal - President Akufo-Addo
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has indicated the preparedness of Ghana to share its experiences in oil and gas with Senegal.
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He said Ghana has gained enormous experience in the management of its oil and gas resources, since the discovery in 2007, and the President believed the country had a lot to share with Senegal especially in the the prudent use of the proceeds from the resources.
“With the recent discovery of oil and gas in Senegal in commercial quantities, and with our experiences, I believe Ghana is well-equipped to share with you the dos and don’ts in the effective management of oil and gas revenues,” President Akufo-Addo said.
The President said this in response to a request by President Macky Sall of Senegal, at a bilateral meeting held at the Presidential Palace in Dakar last Tuesday to discuss possible areas of co-operation between the two countries.
Transforming structure of economies
The production of oil and gas, and the revenues from the sale, President Akufo-Addo explained, presented the two countries with the perfect opportunity to transform the structure of their respective economies from raw material producing and exporting ones to industrialised and value-added economies.
To that end, the two countries resolved to create the necessary legal framework for the conduct of their bilateral co-operation in oil and gas management.
Senegal will soon send a team to study Ghana’s nascent oil and gas industry and adopt best practices in the management of Senegal’s oil and gas resources..
President Akufo-Addo told his Senegalese counterpart that Ghana would deepen bilateral co-operation with Senegal in the areas of agriculture, particularly in the horticultural and fisheries sector, tourism, defence, trade, investment and energy.
Education
“In the area of education, I believe that strengthening of co-operation between our two countries, especially in the learning of English and French languages by our youth, would be of immense benefit to us, as we seek to make the process of integration of West Africa real. To this end, my government intends to make the learning of the French language compulsory from basic to senior high school level,” he said.
“Co-operation with Senegal in the training of French teachers would be helpful in ensuring the success of this policy. By the same token, I am keen to revive the yearly linguistic programme between the two countries which will enable Ghanaian students to undertake proficiency courses in French at the famous Université Cheikh Anta Diop, in Dakar,” he said.
ECOWAS
Reiterating his commitment to the ECOWAS project, President Akufo-Addo stressed the commitment of his government towards strengthening ECOWAS.
With West Africa’s population set to reach about 500 million in 20 years time, President Akufo-Addo indicated that there were immense opportunities to bring prosperity to the sub-region, with hardwork, enterprise and creativity.
“The time for West African integration is now. Ghana and Senegal should be at the forefront of the process that will convert ECOWAS into a true regional market. A working, common regional market in ECOWAS has to be a very fundamental objective of all of our peoples and governments in the region,” he said.
Touching on the situation in neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire, President Akufo-Addo maintained that peace and stability in the region were essential to the viability of the ECOWAS market.
“To that extent, all of us in the region are anxious to see the unfortunate events of the last few days in Cote d’Ivoire come to a rapid conclusion so that peace, law and order can be guaranteed in that key member state of ECOWAS.
“ We must all encourage and support the initiatives President Alassane Ouattara is taking to find a satisfactory conclusion to the crisis, to the mutual benefit of all. We pray for God’s guidance for him and all the actors in the Ivorian situation,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo commended President Sall for the strong leadership he had shown since assuming the reins of office in Senegal, which had led to that country becoming the second fastest growing economy in West Africa, having grown at 6.6 per cent in 2016, behind Côte d’Ivoire, and the fourth fastest in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Under your leadership, Mr. President, the agricultural, industrial and service sectors of the Senegalese economy have witnessed significant growth. Reforms and public investment under the Plan Senegal Emergent (PSE), together with your strong leadership, account for this. Long may it continue!!”
“I must applaud you for the step you have taken to establish the industrial enclave at Diamniadio,, and the ultra-modern tram system, the first in West Africa, to link Dakar to the industrial enclave. The success of these undertakings can only enhance the strength of the Senegalese economy,” President Akufo-Addo added.