<<Print>>

A MEMORANDUM of Cooperation (MOC) signed between a 10-man delegation from the Association of Road Contractors, Ghana (ASROC) is set to enhance road construction in the country. The MOC was signed between the delegation and the China International Contractors Association (CHINCA) in Beijing. The delegation was in the Asian country for the recent 2nd International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum held in May. The deal aims at boosting cooperation between the two organizations based on the principles of mutual benefit and will trigger the establishment of a mechanism of liaison and communication through the designation of staff who will be responsible for the daily communication between the parties, especially concerning matters of mutual interests and benefit to the two organizations in their individual countries. The pact seeks to facilitate the exchange of relevant publications, latest information on relevant events and conferences to be held as well as latest developments on best use of each other�s training and consultancy expertise and technological advances. It will also promote cooperation among members of the parties, monitor their performances and coordinate their work. The National Chairman of ASROC, Mr. J Twumasi Mensah and the Chairman of CHINCA Mr. Diao Chunhe signed for their respective organizations while the event was witnessed by Mrs. Sapomaah Dodoo of the Ghana Embassy in Beijing and members of the ASROC Delegation among others. The delegation which has since returned home, held several other high profile business meetings including meetings with officials of the Chongqing Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Group Ltd and the Guangxi Liugong Machinery Co Ltd. The group, before departing Beijing paid a courtesy call on, Mrs. Helen Mamle Kofi, the Ghanaian envoy in that country. The business tour of Beijing is the fourth such visit by the Association to China and comes on the heels of similar trips recently to the CON EXPO Construction Machinery Show in Las Vegas, USA in April, where the Association delivered a paper on investment opportunities in Ghana and the need for foreign investors to partner Ghanaian road contractors and other private sector players in the Ghanaian economy. The Forum had the blessing of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and was themed �INVESTMENT COOPERATION ENERGISES THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE.� The Forum according to Mr. Kwaku A. Nuamah, Executive Secretary of ASROC attracted several delegations from around the world drawn from industry associations, government departments and financial institutions among others. Addressing the Forum, the ASROC National Chairman, Ing. Twumasi Mensah described Ghana as an excellent destination for doing business, stressing its peaceful democratic environment over the last 20 years as well as strong institutional framework designed to protect the investments of foreign investors willing to do business in Ghana. He noted that unlike other jurisdictions where investors could not repatriate their profits, the Ghana Government allowed repatriation of profits. The Chairman also highlighted the numerous investment opportunities in the Ghanaian economy, stressing key sectors such as road infrastructure, oil and gas, power generation, railways, water projects, dams for irrigation, as well as provision of accommodation for school and residential purposes. He invited international investors at the Forum to consider partnering their Ghanaian counterparts. He said private businesses in Ghana such as members of the ASROC delegation at the forum required cooperation with their Chinese counterparts in the form of partnerships to bid and execute road projects in Ghana. The Chairman also noted that there was an appreciable number of Chinese road contractors operating in Ghana and expressed the hope that within the framework of the ASROC-CHINCA collaboration, it should be possible for CHINCA members operating in Ghana to sub contract portions of the jobs they do to their Ghanaian counterparts, stressing that this way, we shall be building the capacity of the local industry The Chairman indicated that ASROC accepted the invitation to attend the Forum because of the enormous benefits to be derived by its members from a programme of this nature. He said, since members of the Association were private road contractors, it was only prudent that they were exposed to best practices, technology and knowhow in the industry, stressing that this is the only way by which they would build their capacity and thereby become competitive.