The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council and the Chinese Association of Fujian have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to facilitate sister region/province relationship between them.

Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, Greater Accra Regional Minister, and Mr Xu Ningquan, President of the Chinese Association of Fujian in Ghana, signed for Greater Accra Region and the Fujian Association respectively.

The formal signing for the commencement of the sister province relationship would be done in Fujian, China, in September, 2014.

The MOU among others aims at establishing a project or liaison office by the parties to serve the projects and programmes under an agreement to be signed by the two regions.

It would create a mechanism for the identification of mutual and beneficial outcomes of the partnership.

“Fujian province and the Greater Accra Region, on the basis of equality and mutual respect, agree to establish a friendship partnership in the areas of trade, industry, agriculture, science and technology, culture and any fields of sustainable development in order to promote economic prosperity and social progress of the peoples of the two units.”

Nii Afotey-Agbo said although Greater Accra has a lot of opportunities in all areas of human endeavour, it would not hesitate to cooperate with other nations and regions to address its challenges to create a more congenial environment for economic growth.

“In this regard, we are equally excited at the opportunity of being selected by the Fujian province.... in order to mutually and in friendship basis share a great deal of experience and opportunities to promote a solid state of economic growth and development….”

He said the people of the Region are happy to host investors and industrialists from the Fujian Province and China as a whole, and are willing to provide a conducive environment for the Chinese community as its members seek to partner the Region develop its public health, education, science and technology, transportation and energy.

The Regional Minister thanked the Ghana China Friendship Association, the Chinese Embassy and the Chinese Association for Fujian in Ghana and other stakeholders for the efforts to promote development opportunities and to build a stronger bond between Ghana and China.

Mr Xu thanked the people of the Greater Accra Region for their friendship and hospitality and said “we are looking forward to a fruitful partnership beyond business and investment and into more friendly and brotherly relationship for our mutual health and growth.”

According to him, the Chinese Association of Fujian in Ghana is an organised group of businessmen, investors and industrialists who have located to Ghana during the past five years.

“The goal of the Association is to create a more sustainable environment for investment in Ghana and to ensure stronger development for job creation. Another important goal is to promote cooperation with the Ghanaians to live in harmony and work within the laws of Ghana.”

He said:”It is also important to state that the current President of China, Mr Xi Jinping, who was once a governor of Fujian province, has contributed a great deal to the reforms and opening up of the People’s Republic of China.

Fujian is also one of the five provinces of China which was selected for creating a lot of economic growth and development that we are witnessing in China now and we are happy to share our experience with the good people of Ghana”