By CHRISTIAN KPESESE – Economic and Trade cooperation volumes between China and Ghana since both countries established Diplomatic relations in the 1960`s has reached a record 6.6 billion United States Dollars in 2015 with 18% year- on- year increase.
This makes Ghana, China`s 6th ranking trading partner on the African continent.
China which is one of Ghana`s leading sources of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has financed and executed several critical projects aimed at restructuring the economic fortunes of the country for improved standards of living in the areas of energy, health, education, infrastructure, education, agriculture modernization, technology, capacity building among others.
In 2015 alone, China made a direct investment of US $ 174 Million into the Ghanaian economy with an accumulated amount of US $ 1.3 billion ranking 4th among African countries.
The newly signed projects by Chinese firms in Ghana for 2015 alone reached US $ 1.286 billion with US $ 1.406 billion worth business turnover for that same year.
Some of the major investment projects embarked on by China in 2015 includes the Sunon Asogli Power Plant, Africa World Airline (AWA) and Sentuo Steel Factory which have all contributed in improving Ghana`s energy challenges.
Other project interventions areas of China in Ghana are; the Kpong water expansion project, the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant, Ghana`s E-Government Platform and the Northern Electrification project all built by Chinese firms.
Over three thousand (3000), Ghanaian students, the highest from Africa are currently studying various courses in China whiles 820 Ghanaian officials have also benefited from technical training from China.
As further commitment towards strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Miss Sun Baohong has pledged her country`s readiness to partner Ghana especially in the area of Agriculture modernization to help transform the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone, the SADA Zone.
To this end, the Chinese government has variously supported Ghana`s Agricultural modernization efforts through the construction of the Bui Dam and the Nabewam Irrigation project , donation of agricultural farm implements, building of silos and technical training exercises.
The Chinese has also recently aided the starting a 1,000 borehole project and donated agricultural machines to SADA.
It is ready to concentrate resources into agro- processing, animal husbandry, grain storage and processing, irrigation, pest control among others to help improve agricultural production capacity of the SADA Zone.
“Food is the first necessity of the people’’ she said.
She made the commitment during the “Ghana- China Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum held in Accra.
According to her China has listed agricultural modernization, infrastructure, green development and poverty reduction as key items of China-Africa “Ten Major Cooperation Plans’’.
Ms Sun assured that Chinese firms would explore business opportunities within the SADA Zone whiles contributing to harness the rich resource potential of the zone for mutual benefits quoting China`s democratic forerunner, Dr Sun Yat-sen “Only the Lands are fully utilized can our people enjoy sufficient food and be rich’’.
The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) was established in 2010 by an Act of parliament, Act 805, 2010, an independent and Autonomous statutory corporation to provide a framework for the comprehensive and long term development of the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone aimed at poverty eradication.
The forum was attended by officials of SADA, regional ministers from the five SADA enclave zones including Volta, Brong Ahafo, Upper, East and West and the Northern regions.
Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, representatives of the Henan Provincial Commerce Department , the Ghana-China Friendship Association and the Chinese Embassy.
