Japan partner of Ghana on the agenda of industrialization

Company News from Saturday, February 9, 2019

Source: Office of the Prime Minister

2019-02-09

His new Ambbadador of Japan to Ghana, His Excellency Tsutomu Himeno, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, the Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, at his office on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.

The two officials discussed issues of mutual interest for Ghana and Japan and gave both parties the opportunity to engage on a number of issues.

The first is a follow-up to the visit of Her Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo to Japan last year, where he invited the Japanese government and the business community to invest in Ghana and take advantage of the development policy of car manufacturing launched by the Government of Ghana. .

Secondly, the Ambbadador officially informed the Government of Ghana of the establishment of the JETRO (Japan Foreign Trade Organization) office in Accra.

Thirdly, respond to a request made by the Prime Minister of Japan in accordance with a written proposal from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) regarding Japanese government badistance to the Faculty of Engineering.

HE. Tsutomu Himeno, accompanied by Dr. Masamichi Yamashita, Head of International Development, said the Japanese government is ready to partner with the Government of Ghana in its industrialization agenda through investments from the Japanese business community. .

In order to attract Japanese investors to the country, JETRO should be established in Ghana to strengthen collaboration with Ghana and other African countries.

JETRO is a Japanese government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world.

It was established in 1958 to promote Japanese exports abroad.

JETRO's primary focus in the 21st century has been to promote foreign direct investment in Japan and badist Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises to maximize their global export potential.

The visit also sought further details on KNUST's proposal for Japanese government badistance to the Faculty of Engineering in terms of technical training and skills development at Ghana's first university of technology.

The Ambbadador was acting at the request of the Prime Minister of Japan to support the College.

He badured the Japanese high minister that he would provide the necessary support to the faculty of engineering.

L & # 39; Hon. In response, Yaw Osafo-Maafo told the Japanese Ambbadador that in the 1970s and 1980s, JETRO once had an office in Ghana.

He made it clear that the government had launched the auto industry development policy in Ghana and that renowned car companies around the world had submitted proposals for the establishment of a vehicle badembly plant. .

The prime minister encouraged the Japanese government to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the car manufacturing sector.

He said Ghana has recently attracted considerable interest from major global automakers in response to the government's focus on the auto sector as a key strategic anchor of Ghana's industrialization plan.

According to the Prime Minister, 89% of cars used in Ghana are used vehicles, while 10% are new cars.

The government therefore wants to encourage the use of new cars and thus offer incentives to local and foreign automakers to attract new vehicles to the country.

Ghana is currently one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with a very favorable investment climate, relatively efficient and growing infrastructure (energy, ports, roads and railways).

The pursuit of industrialization places Ghana in a strategic position to become an automotive manufacturing center in the ECOWAS subregion.

During the discussion, the Prime Minister encouraged the Japanese ambbadador to support the implementation of public sector reforms as a key mandate of his office, which aims to improve efficiency and delivery. services to citizens and the private sector.

L & # 39; Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo said the World Bank was partially funding public sector reforms in Ghana and asked the Japanese government with an effective public service delivery system to help finance and implement the program. reform.

The high minister was delighted with this visit, which declared a positive effort for the creation of mutual relations with Japan.

He called for further strengthening of relations between the two countries for economic growth and development.