Saudi Arabia presents 2,500 tonnes of date to Ghana
The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has presented 2,500 tonnes of dates as a gift to the government of Ghana.
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The 50 cartons of one of the world’s sweetest fruits were presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for redistribution to the Muslim community for the upcoming Ramadan.
A four-member delegation from Saudi Arabia, comprising two officials from the Ministry of Finance — Mr Abdullah Abdulrahman S. Aljabreen and Mr Nasser Abdullah I. Alhumaid — and two officials from the King Salam Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, joined representatives from the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Accra to hand the gift over to Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Ghana, Mr Abdulaziz S. A Alnasser, said the presentation was in conformity with the values of the Kingdom and its humanitarian services.
For the past six years, he said, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had consistently presented the same quantity of dates to the government of Ghana as a gift.
The donation, he said, was made possible through the benevolence and directives of King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the custodian of the two holy mosques in Saudi Arabia.
Foreign Minister
Receiving the gift, Ms Botchwey said since March 1960 when the two countries established diplomatic relations, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had played a supportive role in the economic development of Ghana.
"The relationship between our two countries over the years has been characterised by our common desire to forge friendship and cooperation, based on mutual respect and support for each other's development and aspirations," she said.
The minister promised that the fruits would be distributed to the beneficiaries across the country with the approach of the Ramadan.
She praised the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for providing storage for the dates from the day of arrival to the day of distribution.
Dates
Dates provide a wide range of essential nutrients and are a very good source of dietary potassium.
They are known to cure anaemia, used for the treatment of constipation and diarrhoea, while soaking the fruits at night and eating them crushed in the morning is beneficial for a weak heart.
Research has shown that dates work to reduce the risk and impact of abdominal cancer. They are also a natural aphrodisiac for the treatment of sexual weakness, while the fluorine in dates is an important chemical element that inhibits tooth decay.