President Bids Farewell to Outgoing Chinese Ambassador

By Yaw Kyei

China has given Ghana a US$66 million grant for the development of the University of Health and Allied Sciences and rehabilitation of the James Town Fishing Port.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced this yesterday when he organised a farewell lunch in honour of the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Sun Baohong, at the Jubilee House.

He said the Finance Minister and the outgoing ambassador, last weekend, signed a number of agreements to that effect and commended the Chinese government for the gesture.

He noted that the James Town Project, which would take US$50 million of the total grant, was an important initiative that would help revive the community.

President Akufo-Addo was optimistic that the historic community and its residents would benefit largely from the project when completed.

The President was full of praise for the Chinese ambassador and indicated that during her stay in the country in the past years, the Ghana-China relationship had gone a notch further.

He said the relationship between the two countries dated back to Ghana's independence, under the leadership of Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the then Chinese leader.

Since then, he said the two countries had had fruitful engagements and added that in the 70s Ghana voted for China to be part of the Security Council of the United Nations.

President Akufo-Addo said the relationship was given a further boost during the Kufuor era, when he (President Akufo-Addo) was the Foreign Affairs Minister and noted that the relationship resulted in the construction of the Bui Hydro Dam, among other projects.

When the ruling NPP was in opposition, he said the outgoing Chinese ambassador reached out to the party, even in opposition and had fruitful relationship with them.

He appealed to the outgoing ambassador to be a voice for Ghana and continue to promote the strong relationship between her country and Ghana.

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