The call by the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for solidarity and international coalition to halt the political turbulence in the ECOWAS region and on the African continent at large is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Friday.
The Graphic reports that the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has called for solidarity and international coalition to halt the political turbulence in the ECOWAS region and on the African continent at large.
He bemoaned the evolution of coups d’etat which challenged the democratic way of life “we have chosen” and urged the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS to address the dangerous trend collectively and decisively before it devastated the whole region.
President Akufo-Addo, who was addressing the opening session of the second Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on the political situation in Burkina Faso in Accra yesterday, acknowledged that the resurgence of coups d’etat in the region was a matter of grave concern.
“This evolution challenges the democratic way of life we have chosen. We need to stand firm to protect democracy and freedom in our region.
Your presence here is a strong indication of your willingness to find a sustainable solution to the resurgence of the canker in our region.
“Let us address this dangerous trend collectively and decisively before it devastates the whole region,” the President stressed.
The ECOWAS leaders, during the one-day summit, also examined the recent developments in Guinea and Mali.
The summit added up to a number of meetings held by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government since the trend of coup d’etat reared its ugly head again in the region, first in Mali on August 18, 2020, Guinea on September 5, last year and Burkina Faso on January 24, this year.
The newspaper says that the government of Ghana has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Rwanda to deepen bilateral trade relations between the two countries.
This is on the back of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement which is expected to boost intra-Africa trade.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Alan Kyerematen, signed on behalf of Ghana, while the Minister of Trade and Industry for Rwanda, Ms. Beata Habyarimana, initialed on behalf of her country.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Kyeramaten said he was confident that the MoU would blossom in the very near future into a strong, mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.
He said the MoU was aimed at strengthening and developing trade ties between the two countries, as well as expand and diversify commercial exchanges among the private sector operators.
He noted that the two countries had enjoyed very good fraternal relations for several decades, stating that “Ghana was one of the few countries that contributed troops to Rwanda during the very difficult period in the history of Rwanda, as part of peacekeeping initiatives by the United Nations”.
In addition, he said both countries had played significant roles in shaping the agenda of the African Union over the years, and had held common positions in various multilateral fora.
“The history of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) cannot be written without giving credit to the people and governments of Ghana and Rwanda for the significant roles we played in the establishment of the single continental market for Africa.
“You would recall that the formal decision to establish the AfCFTA was taken at the AU Summit of Heads of State and government held in Accra in July 2012. In the same vein, you will recall that it was at the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the AU Assembly of Heads of State held in Kigali in March 2018 that the AfCFTA Agreement was signed,” he pointed out.
The Ghanaian Times says that Vaal Real Estates is set to launch its new residential project, the Harmonia Residence, in Ghana.
The project, located at the Airport Residential Area in Accra, is part of an expansion plan which will see Vaal Real Estate develop another project in the second quarter of 2022.
The launch, which will take place on February10, 2022 at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel, Accra, will see industry players support the real estate developer that is seeking to add value to the real estate market in Ghana.
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vaal Ghana, AlaaZayeed, said “our happiness is extended to the ultimate to join us as part of Harmonia Residence Community in the heart of Accra. Harmonia Residence is where opulence thrives. It is a real land mark, one of the tallest towers in Accra with inspiring amenities and much more, which has given us an opportunity to create a unique environment of calm, beauty and serenity that will take you and your loved ones to enjoy your world.”
The Founder and CEO of Vaal Ghana, MajeedSaad, said Vaal was started with the African spirit in heart and mind, bringing along the vast expertise in real estate development from Egypt, Turkey, Kenya and the Middle East.
“The ultimate dream of Vaal is to becoming one of the biggest, trusted and well-versed real estate developer and consultancy firm. Even our logo is a reflection to the pride we have in our hearts to this beautiful continent. Yellow represents sunshine, and hope for a better future for Africa with the massive development it witnesses across various fields, especially real estate. The black represents the level of sophistication, expertise, and technology we are bringing to the real estate development arena to transform the African market.”
The newspaper reports that Appiatse Support Fund Committee has called on Ghanaians, both home and abroad and foreigners, to donate generously towards the redevelopment of the community.
Rev. Joyce Aryee, chairperson of the committee, said the funds raised would be specifically used to rebuild the Appiatse community into a modern Green City and also create a source of livelihood for the indigenes.
She said, as a people, it was time to demonstrate compassion towards the community which had to succumb to the unfortunate explosion on January 20.
“I want to encourage all well-meaning Ghanaians and foreigners, to give generously towards this worthy cause of rebuilding the community which was facing this tragedy,” she noted.
Addressing the media in Accra yesterday, Rev. Aryee provided details on how Ghanaians and foreigners could contribute to the fund for the benefit of the people of Appiatse.
She announced that the GBC Bank and Stanbic Bank were the two banks with accounts to receive the donations for the fund and gave the accounts number as 101130036123 for GCB Bank and 90400099749 for Stanbic Bank, with QR codes available online.
She added that the committee had also developed a website, www.appiatsesupportfund.com to provide other needed information to the general public.
GIK/APA