Japan assists road construction, SMEs(February 2, 2009) page 21

Story: Michael Donkor
THE Japanese government has provided a grant of $12.2 million for the government to rehabilitate some trunk roads and support small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr John E. Aggrey, and the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Keiichi Katakami, signed an agreement to that effect at a ceremony in Accra last Friday.
Mr Katakami said $1.2 million of the amount was to be used to rehabilitate the Anwiankwanta-Yamoransa road, as well as the Assin-Praso Bridge, while $11 million was to be used to support SMEs in the country.
He said the gesture was in line with the objective of the Japanese government to support Ghana in its developmental efforts.
He said the Japanese government also wanted to help improve infrastructure in West Africa, hence the grant for the rehabilitation of the Anwiankwanta-Yamoransa road and the Assin-Praso Bridge which served other landlocked countries.
Mr Aggrey thanked the government of Japan for the support and gave the assurance that the grant would be used for its intended purpose.
He said part of the $1.2 million would be used for detailed designs of the project, noting that it was expected that rehabilitation works could start as soon as the detailed designs had been completed in November 2009.
He said the $11 million grant, which was a sector-non-project grant aid for the support of SMEs, was, indeed, a great boost to the private sector.
Known as the ‘Japanese grant’ by the public, it was said to be one of the most popular of government’s on-lending financial facilities to the private sector, he said.
Mr Aggrey said the funds accruing from reimbursement from beneficiary firms were to be utilised to provide public goods and services in the country.
He said to that end, various ministries, departments and agencies, including the Electoral Commission of Ghana, the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Cocoa Board, had benefited from the funds over the years.
He said the signing of the agreements was a testimony of Japan’s commitment to assist Ghana to alleviate poverty and enhance the lives of its people.