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Former Ghana’s High Commissioner to India, H. E. Sam P. Yalley has cautioned Ghanaians not to be overly-ecstatic following news of some £326 million from the current UK-Africa Investment Summit for the completion of some projects in the country.

He insisted that what the nation should be much concerned about is what we will given in return since “no fund is for free especially from a foreign country to an African territory”.

Speaking on UTV’s ‘Adekye Nsroma’ political discussion segment with the Ashanti Regional Secretary for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Pyne on the opposite side, he dared the current administration to 

“I'm challenging government officials that if they claimed we prepared technocrats before benefiting from the three projects amounting to £326 million granted by the current UK-Africa Investment Summit then within a month they should let Ghanaians feel that something is going to happen as they show a convincing plan to execute the said projects, so we can appreciate that the allocated funds will not be wastefully spent,” he stated. 

Sam P. Yalley noted that through his practice of work as an ambassador, he has realized that “Ghana as a country does not send good negotiators or technocrats to meetings needed that will make the nation benefit professionally from a specific meeting attended, just like most foreign countries do”.

Introduction

The United Kingdom (UK) government has announced 27 deals worth over £6.5 billion for some African countries.

As part of the current UK-Africa Investment Summit, Ghana stands to benefit from three projects amounting to £326 million.

The deals include a £120 million export contract for the upgrade of the Teaching Hospital in Kumasi and a £40 million Contract Construction UK deal for the development of the New Kumasi Airport as well as a £60 million funding for a new 250-bed capacity hospital for Koforidua.

Other projects include the Tema Aflao road project worth £80 million as well as a £26 million Aqua Africa export contract for the supply of solar-powered water filtration systems in Ghana.

UK through the summit is actively looking to form a strong trading and investment relationship with African nations, which will hopefully benefit businesses on both continents for years to come.