US delegation confers with Vice-President
A six-member delegation from the United States Senate yesterday held discussions with the Vice-President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on areas where the US could increase its assistance to Ghana.
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The discussions centred on the economy, security and infrastructural needs of Ghana.
Receiving the delegation at the Flagstaff House, Dr Bawumia urged the US and Ghana to enhance their engagements with each other and take steps that would preserve the strategic position and example of Ghana’s role in the democratic development of the sub-region.
He said much more work needed to be done, especially in the areas of the economy, counter-terrorism and cyber security to enhance the peace and stability not only in Ghana but also the West African sub-region and the rest of the world.
US Senate delegation
The US delegation was made up of Senators Jim Inhofe, Mike Rounds, Vern Buchanan, Randy Hultgren, Steve Pearce and Tim Walberg.
The Vice-President said Ghana, as far as West Africa was concerned, was very key in the democratic development of the sub-region, as the country had become a model in Africa.
He said Ghana had just come out of peaceful elections and another transition that saw President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assuming office.
He said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was essentially a sister party to the Republican Party of the US, adding: “We are both parties of elephants.”
Shared values
He said both parties shared common values such as the rule of law, freedom of the press and public-private enterprise.
“We are a country that believes in private enterprise and we believe in the freedom of the press, the rule of law and basically good old hard work to get to where we want to get to. We really count on our friends on this particular journey,” he added.
The Vice-President also indicated that the bonds of friendship between Ghana and the US were quite deep and that Ghanaians greatly valued that relationship.
Enhanced relationship
Ghana, he said, was a beacon of peace, stability and democracy in Africa and that status had really enhanced the bonds of friendship between it and the US.
Having been in power for six weeks, he said, the government had started taking some steps that could help turn the economy around.
“All we are doing is focused on private enterprise, private investment, protecting the public purse and making sure that we have value for money in what we do,” he added.
Fact-finding mission
Senator Rounds, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, said the delegation of lawmakers was in the country to ascertain at first-hand information on the economy, security, as well as its infrastructural needs.
The aim, he said, was for the delegation to report back to the US government on how it could better support Ghana’s development agenda in those identified areas.
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