danish Envoy commends government on economic policies

Spread August 28/2008

Story; Charles Benoni Okine

THE outgoing Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Flemming Pedersen, has commended the government for what he described as the prudent economic policies that has put the country on the right pedestal to attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
He said the persistent growth of the economy since 2002 was a clear indication of the seriousness of the government to drastically reduce poverty levels of the people.
The Ambassador made the commendation when he paid a farewell call on the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, at the Castle, Osu, in Accra yesterday.
From a little over three per cent economic growth at the close of 2000, the figure now stands at about 6.5 per cent as of the end of 2007.
This, Mr Flemming described, as encouraging and indicated that Ghana was on track to greater heights in the near future.
He also commended the government, particularly, President Kufuor, for being the first to subject his administration to the Peer Review Mechanism under the NEPAD.
Mr Pedersen described the move as courageous and a mark of a confident leader who knew what he was about.
He said the country’s decentralisation process was also worthy of commendation, because of the way it brought governance to the doorstep of the people.
Mr Pedersen said decentralisation ensured accountability and transparency, and expressed the hope that this process would be deepened as the days went by.
He said the relationship between the two countries had been cordial and fruitful over the years, praising the two governments for their co-operation in that regard.
The Ambassador expressed the hope that his successor would work harder towards ensuring that the commercial relations between the two countries were also deepened to the benefit of the two countries.
For his part, Alhaji Mahama expressed the gratitude of the Government of Ghana for the support that the country had received and continued to receive from Denmark in many facets of the economy.
He mentioned water and rural development projects in the area of agriculture, among others, as some of the sectors that had seen a lot of support from the Danish government.
The vice-president also mentioned Denmark’s support for the electoral process in the country since 1992.
He said Ghana’s democracy was maturing faster to an extent that it had become a benchmark for many countries on the African continent.
Alhaji Mahama said the government believed in the rule of law and good governance and would continue to demonstrate that at all times.
He assured the Danish government and the rest of the international community of the resolve of the government to ensure that the peace and stability that was being enjoyed would not elude the country during, before and after the December polls.
Alhaji Mahama thanked the Ambassador for his personal role in ensuring that Denmark gave Ghana a lot of support to enable her to make life more meaningful to the people.