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Vice-President Kwesi Amissah Arthur has acknowledged the long standing relations between Ghana and Cuba and has underscored the need for the two countries to strengthen the bond of friendship in order to make trade, commerce, work and study as well as the delivery of education and health service in the country.

Vice president Kwesi Amissah-Arthur made the call when the outgoing Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Jorge Fernando Nicolas, called on him at the Flagstaff House in Accra today (Tuesday), to bid farewell to the government after a four-year duty tour in Ghana.

Mr Amissah-Arthur said he recognized Cuba's support in the country in terms of health care delivery where most of the medical brigades were offering medical assistance to Ghanaians especially in the rural communities. Something he stated that was very remarkable.
He called on the Cuban government to take advantage of the lifting of the fifty-year old embargo against it by the United States of America (USA) to improve commercial ties with Ghana.

Vice President Amissah said he observed that since the blockade denied Cuba the opportunity to freely trade with other countries to improve its economy, the time had come for the government of that country to deepen trade and bilateral relations with the rest of the world including Ghana for the mutual benefit of their people.

He congratulated Mr Jorge Fernando Nicolas who had been on a four-year duty tour of Ghana, for a successful duty and wished him more success in his subsequent assignments.

Adding that Ghana has fond memories of Cuba when it comes to Cuba’s support for our health sector and in many other ways Cuba has shown as friendship and praised Cuba for the role it is playing in the eradication of malaria in Ghana and the West Africa region. Because “ Ghana owes Cuba a debt of gratitude” for the revolutionary new bio-spraying mechanism that eliminates mosquito larvae.

The Vice president further stated that the embargo was first imposed by the USA on Cuba on October 19, 1960, almost two years after the Batista regime was deposed by the Cuban Revolution.
At that time the USA placed an embargo on exports to Cuba except for food and medicine after Cuba nationalised American-owned Cuban oil refineries without compensation.

He said having lifted the blockade on Cuba would emerge new challenges for that country for which reason he urged the Cuban government to use the new dawn to extent a hand of
He said fifty-five years of Cuban's struggle during the rule of President Fidel Castro remained a matter of concern in building a better relationship.

Mr Amissah-Arthur noted that it was not for any reason that the first President of the Republic of Ghana, the late Dr Kwame Nkrumah, fell in love with the Cubans, especially in the areas of health and education.

The Vice President urged Cuban-trained Ghanaians to work hard to become shining examples where they find found them across the country.
On his part the Outgoing Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Jorge Fernando Nicolas , after four years duty in Ghana, said with reminisces of the years stayed in Ghana, Mr. Jorge Nicolas Cruz extended his appreciation and that of his home country to the President and the people of Ghana for the enhanced relations between Ghana and Cuba.