Ghana and China have signed an agreement for the implementation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration’s Office Annex Building Project.
The agreement which was initialed by the Foreign Affairs and Regional Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Lu Kun took place in Accra on Friday, April 9, 2021.
According to Madam Botchwey, the project which is a six-storey building to be situated at the south of the existing office building will be funded by the Chinese Government under the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between China and Ghana.
She added that the project will include an ultra-modern office space for the Minister, the Chief Director, Directors and Officers, and will host a Conference Room, Press Room, Banquet Hall, Gym, Clinic, Flag Holding room and underground Parking Lot, among others.She stated that “at the outset, I wish to acknowledge the warm and cordial relations Ghana enjoys with China and the support that China continues to make towards Ghana’s socio-economic development. This Ministry in particular remains appreciative of the building of our Headquarters in 2013 and now the construction of the Annex Office Building. Ghana cherishes the bonds of friendship and our continued engagement and collaboration in several other areas of national endeavour.”
“The construction of the Annex Office Building project is of great importance to the Ministry as the facility will resolve the problem of inadequate office space which has been occasioned by the increase in the number of staff,” the Foreign Minister says.
“It is with great pleasure, therefore, that I announce to you that both parties after the successful conclusion of negotiations, which began about three years ago, have agreed on and signed the Minutes of Meetings for the onsite feasibility study in June, 2019 as well as the Letter of Exchange of Note with the Ministry of Finance for the project in June, 2020. Today we are signing the Implementation Agreement for the commencement of the China-Aid Annex Office Building Project, as the next step in this collaborative effort”.
She stated that in recent weeks, the Ghana side has been working assiduously with the Team of Experts led by Mr. Shen Gang to undertake further investigations on the assessment and evaluation of the Design Scheme and Architectural drawings of the Annex Office building project.
According to her, “The working visit has indeed been a fruitful one, the outcome of which both parties initialed the Design Scheme.”
She noted that “Furthermore, as part of the Special investigation at the project site, two experts of the Chinese team arrived this week to undertake geotechnical and soil testing at the project site.”
“With these working visits and the signing of the Implementation Agreement, it is my fervent hope that construction of the Annex Office Building will commence soon and be completed within one and a half years as stipulated in the agreement.”
Source: Henry George Martinson@radiogoldlive.com
