President John Dramani Mahama has described his recent visits to the United Kingdom and Belarus as highly productive, yielding significant agreements in investment, trade, agriculture, technology and infrastructure that are expected to boost Ghana’s economic transformation agenda.
Speaking upon his return to Ghana, President Mahama said his administration carefully selects international engagements based on their potential economic and diplomatic benefits to the country.
“We live in a community of nations and receive many invitations to visit, but we carefully choose those that will be most economically and diplomatically beneficial to both countries,” he stated.
The President explained that his visit to the United Kingdom was centred on the Ghana Investment Summit, an event that attracts investors from across Europe and has become a major platform for promoting investment opportunities in Ghana.
According to him, the summit recorded overwhelming interest from investors due to Ghana’s improving economic outlook.
“The summit was oversubscribed because of Ghana’s recent economic performance. The investor climate has improved, and many companies are looking favourably at opportunities to invest,” he said.
A major outcome of the visit was the signing of the Ghana-UK Growth Partnership Agreement, which President Mahama described as a shift from a traditional donor-recipient relationship to one focused on trade and investment.
Among the agreements signed under the partnership was a £101 million project to establish Ghana’s first commercial-scale ship repair yard in Takoradi.
The project will include a floating dock facility and is expected to support maritime activities along the country’s western corridor.
Other agreements signed included a commercial afforestation project in the Oti Region, collaboration on artificial intelligence training under Ghana’s “AI for Good” strategy, and a programme to train clinical healthcare engineers to maintain biomedical equipment in health facilities.
“We want to ensure that artificial intelligence is beneficial to Ghana and that our health facilities have the technical expertise needed to maintain critical medical equipment,” the President noted.
During his stay in the UK, President Mahama held bilateral talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on political, economic and security matters, particularly developments in the Sahel region.
He also met with King Charles III, whom he described as highly knowledgeable about Ghana and global affairs.
The President further visited Ghanaian-owned businesses in London and was honoured at the London Stock Exchange, where he participated in the opening ceremony by ringing the market bell.
He praised the performance of the Ghana Stock Exchange, noting that it was among the best-performing stock exchanges in Africa last year.
Turning to his visit to Belarus, President Mahama said Ghana and Belarus signed several agreements aimed at transforming the country’s agricultural sector and deepening bilateral trade.
He explained that Belarus has maintained strong expertise in agricultural machinery manufacturing since the dissolution of the Soviet Union and would support Ghana’s mechanisation agenda.
The agreements include the supply of tractors, combine harvesters, ploughs, harrows, boom sprayers and other modern agricultural equipment under Ghana’s farmer service centre programme.
Beyond equipment supply, Belarus will also support Ghana in agronomy, seed development, fertiliser use and farm management practices to improve agricultural productivity.
“We are looking at the entire agricultural value chain and how to increase productivity among our farmers,” President Mahama said.
The two countries also signed agreements on agricultural cooperation, trade and the establishment of a joint economic commission, as well as a visa waiver agreement to facilitate closer relations.
President Mahama disclosed that Belarus has also expressed interest in Ghana’s mining sector and plans to send a delegation to explore investment opportunities in mining equipment and related services.
The President stressed that his administration is focused on translating signed agreements into tangible outcomes.
“We are not just signing MOUs. We are working to make sure everything we discussed and signed becomes a reality,” he assured.
Addressing domestic issues, President Mahama expressed concern over recent flooding and building collapses that have resulted in loss of life, commending Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang for visiting affected communities during his absence.
He attributed much of the flooding to poor sanitation practices, indiscriminate dumping of waste into drains and widespread encroachment on wetlands and waterways.
“This indiscipline must stop. When it rains, we pour garbage into drains and later wonder why the water backs up into our homes,” he said.
The President also criticised the destruction of green spaces and the increasing construction of buildings in flood-prone areas and wetlands.
He defended efforts by local authorities to remove illegal structures from waterways, arguing that such actions are necessary to protect lives and property.
President Mahama announced that he has directed a task force, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and other agencies to identify all restricted waterways and take decisive action against encroachment.
“I am giving the directive to go ahead and do what must be done. I hope all Ghanaians will understand that it is government business to protect the safety of all of us,” he stated.
He further called for intensified public education campaigns using both traditional and digital media platforms to promote responsible environmental practices and help address the country’s recurring flooding challenges.
The President expressed optimism that with stronger enforcement, public cooperation and sustained investment in infrastructure and education, Ghana can overcome its longstanding flooding problems while continuing to attract international investment and strengthen economic growth.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
