MPs welcome US President, wife

Page 14, Feb 21, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
MEMBERS of Parliament today welcomed the visiting United States President, Mr George Walker Bush and his wife, Laura to Ghana and urged the government to use the opportunity to deepen the bi-lateral relationship between the two countries.
They said such a relationship should recognise the sovereignty of the two nations and seek the common interest of the people of both countries.
The MPs made the call in their contributions to a statement made on the floor of the House by the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, Ms Christine Churcher.
In her statement, Ms Churcher recognised that the Bush administration had touted the concept of Transformational Diplomacy as the methodology in its African policy.
That approach, she explained entailed enabling African nations to help themselves, establishing viable partnerships as opposed to paternalism and using America’s diplomatic power to help African governments build their own nations.
She said Ghana was the first country to welcome U.S Peace Corps in 1960 adding that more than 2000 volunteers had successfully served Ghana since that time.
Ms Churcher stated that following the smooth transition of power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the 2000 elections, and the demonstration of the NPP that it was committed to democracy, the rule of law and private sector enterprise, Ghana become one of the few African countries that the US decided to promote as a model for other countries to emulate.
The MP said Ghana was now recognised as a peaceful country and a beacon of hope for Africa.
Ms Church added that President Kufuor administration had promoted positive economic growth and said that President’s Bush’s visit would afford him (Bush) the opportunity to witness some of these developments.
She stated that the visit would enable President Bush to see at first hand the significant progress chalked under the bilateral co-operation and the overall impact of US investments on Ghana.
“Mr Speaker, the Kufuor administration should seize the opportunity to deepen our bilateral and technical co-operation with the US in order to move this country to a middle income status by 2015”, she said.
Contributing to the statement, the MP for Wa Central, Mr Raship Pelpuo indicated since the interest of America was different from that of Ghana, it would be good for the Ghanaians authorities to define the country’s interest and see where the two countries could cooperate.
“We should not see US as a helper but as a country which is seeking to gain from us in order to meet them in equal terms”, he cautioned.
When it was his turn, the MP for Atwima-Mponua, Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah said for spending more time in Ghana than the other African countries he had visited, President Bush given the country a thump up in the democratic path it had chosen.
He dismissed the notion that the president’s visit was in connection with the oil find in the country saying that if it were so President Bush would have visited countries such as Equatorial Guinea, Angola and other African countries which were already benefiting in their oil finds.
For his part the MP for Offinso North, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku noted that Ghana was increasingly becoming attractive as far as investments were concerned hence the inclusion of businessmen in the President’s trip.
He, however, expressed concern about the ill motives that some Ghanaians attached to visit adding that “Ghanaians talk too much about nothing”.
“Everybody want to be a foreign expect”, he said asked Ghanaians to “let the President be the coach this time to direct the country foreign policy”.
Other contributors to the statement were, Mr Okerchire Adusah, (Nkawkaw), Mr Joseph Amenowode (Hohoe South), and Mr J.B Danquah Adu (Akim Abuakwa North).