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‘You have done well for your people,’ Akufo Addo lauds Koroma
By John Eche
Ghana and Sierra Leone are taking steps to boost their current levels of ties and cooperation.
This is coming even as the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr Nana Akufo Addo has applauded the efforts made by President Ernest Bai Koroma in restoring law and order in Sierra Leone, as well as successes made in ensuring reconciliation among the public since he assumed office.
Akufo Addo was in the country to provide assurance about his intention to strengthen existing ties between the two countries.
During a joint press conference hosted at State House, Freetown, the Ghanaian President said: “As president, you have worked the talk by restoring a society governed by the rule of law and also supported reconciliation.”
He said during the outbreak of the Ebola virus, which resulted in deaths of thousands, President Koroma’s resolve and that of all Sierra Leoneans, were tested but stressed that at the end of the day, the resilience of the people prevailed under his guidance, which helped to ensure an end to the continuing scourge of the deadly disease.
The Ghanaian leader also commended President Koroma for the strong leadership he has shown since assuming office in promoting development of the country’s economy.
According to him, after inheriting a challenging macroeconomic situation in the country, the turnaround in the economy has been evident in the annual growth rate over the years.
With regards to the bilateral relationship between the two nations, President Akufo Addo stated that he was in the country to begin the process of developing much more stronger ties, as well as exploring areas of cooperation for the mutual benefit of all.
He maintained that the ties between the countries have largely been in the areas of trade and education, while expressing the hope that the citizens of the two countries will continue to march side by side in solidarity and in the quest for progress and dignity for the African people.
He spoke about the need for a general framework for cooperation and disclosed that in December 2013, Ghana and Sierra Leone signed an agreement for cooperation, which underlines the need to establish a joint commission for cooperation.
Though the agreement will provide the legal framework needed to address trade and investment concerns of the people, President Addo was saddened by the fact that the agreement was yet to be ratified by the respective parliaments.
On his part, President Koroma described the long-standing relationship between the two countries as historic and excellent.
He commended the Ghanaian President for winning the December 7, 2016 presidential election, adding that he was proud of his participation in the democratic process.
He expressed fervent hope that the relationship between Ghana and Sierra Leone could be heightened by consolidating gains made so far and mapping out new paths to better what has been achieved.
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