Two call on minister

Page 34, July 25, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Sandra Amartey
THE Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Musiliu O. Obanikoro, has called for the creation of a common market between Ghana and Nigeria to serve as a catalyst for the achievement of the objectives of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS).
“If ECOWAS is to achieve its objectives, then there is the need for Ghana and Nigeria to stand shoulder to shoulder and take the lead for others to follow,” he said.
Mr Obanikoro made the call when he paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Tourism and Diasporan Relations, Mrs Oboshie Sai Coffie, in Accra yesterday.
The call was to enable the High Commissioner to introduce himself to the minister and seek her support in deepening the level of co-operation between the two countries.
Mr Obanikoro recalled the long-standing co-operation between Ghana and Nigeria and stated that the tourism industry was one area where both countries could come together and see how they could develop their potential to enable them to benefit from the industry.
To that end, the High Commissioner announced the holding of a business summit between Ghanaian and Nigerian businessmen to usher in the establishment of the Ghana-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce aimed at improving trade between the two countries.
Mr Obanikoro, however, expressed worry over what he called the slow down of the activities of the Pan-African Festival (PANAFEST) which was instituted by Ghana to bring together Africans living on the continent and those in the Diaspora.
He noted that PANAFEST was a major festival that held the key to positively portraying African culture and, therefore, urged the Ghanaian authorities to work hard to sustain the interest that festival had generated among Africans.
He said PANAFEST was a dynamic festival that should be harnessed for the benefit of the sub-region and Africa as a whole and called for measures to revive the fortunes of the festival.
He expressed concern over the activities of some Nigerian miscreants which, he noted, had given Nigeria a bad image in the eyes of Ghanaians and said efforts were being made, in collaboration with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), to curb the situation.
Mr Obanikoro gave assurance that the High Commission would not shield such bad nuts whose activities had overshadowed the good works of most Nigerians who were living in peace with their Ghanaian hosts.
He congratulated Ghana on its discovery of oil in commercial quantities and expressed the hope that the country would learn lessons from Nigeria’s experience in the industry to make the discovery a blessing.
Replying, Mrs Coffie noted that close collaboration between the two countries would ensure rapid economic development and noted that the tourism sector had a bigger potential to grow if it was given the needed support.
She stated that measures had been put in place through the institution of the oil and gas forum to enable the country to learn from the experiences not only of Nigeria but also other oil-producing countries.
Also at the ministry to pay a courtesy call on the minister was the new Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam.
Deliberations between them centred on the tourism sector, during which Mrs Ghanashyam called on the government to give more attention to the tourism sector in order to make the country the preferred tourist destination in Africa.