Rawlings calls for accountability in international relations
By myjoyonline - Myjoyonline.com Business/Finance | Fri, 03 Jul 2009
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Ghana will ask for nothing more than accountability and transparency in her relationship with development partners, former President Jerry John Rawlings has said.
He said while the country welcomes and indeed desires foreign investments in building local capacities and infrastructure, especially in its newly discovered oil resource, corruption will remain one big challenge that must be battled at every turn if Ghana was not to fall victim to the proverbial 'oil curse' that has divided some African countries and impoverished their people.
“Integrity, transparency and accountability must be at the root of our development so we do not lose our sense of responsibility and undermine our stability,” he emphasized.
Ex-President Rawlings was speaking with a technical delegation of energy consortium, Nexus Energy, including its Chairman and CEO, Neil Mallon Bush, brother of immediate past U.S. President George W. Bush, who paid a courtesy call on him and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.
He said many Ghanaians have advised against abusing the newly discovered oil resource, and that admonition, he said, places a moral obligation on any government to see to it that the best interest of the people are served.
'There were question marks about what took place in the Kufuor regime as far as transparency in the oil deals were concerned and it is important that the NDC government does not toe the same line,” former President Rawlings stated.
Ex-President Rawlings said the Mills administration has been primed enough to be wary of a lot of questionable oil exploration deals that were signed by the previous Government of the New Patriotic Party, and this is a call the government must answer to ensure the mutual credibility of Ghana and her partners.
The delegation was on a business mission in country and held talks with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, and also met with President J.E.A. Mills and some members of the Government.
The discussions with ex-President Rawlings occasionally touched on Ghana's political history and climate.
Source: myjoyonline - Myjoyonline.com
He said while the country welcomes and indeed desires foreign investments in building local capacities and infrastructure, especially in its newly discovered oil resource, corruption will remain one big challenge that must be battled at every turn if Ghana was not to fall victim to the proverbial 'oil curse' that has divided some African countries and impoverished their people.
“Integrity, transparency and accountability must be at the root of our development so we do not lose our sense of responsibility and undermine our stability,” he emphasized.
Ex-President Rawlings was speaking with a technical delegation of energy consortium, Nexus Energy, including its Chairman and CEO, Neil Mallon Bush, brother of immediate past U.S. President George W. Bush, who paid a courtesy call on him and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.
He said many Ghanaians have advised against abusing the newly discovered oil resource, and that admonition, he said, places a moral obligation on any government to see to it that the best interest of the people are served.
'There were question marks about what took place in the Kufuor regime as far as transparency in the oil deals were concerned and it is important that the NDC government does not toe the same line,” former President Rawlings stated.
Ex-President Rawlings said the Mills administration has been primed enough to be wary of a lot of questionable oil exploration deals that were signed by the previous Government of the New Patriotic Party, and this is a call the government must answer to ensure the mutual credibility of Ghana and her partners.
The delegation was on a business mission in country and held talks with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, and also met with President J.E.A. Mills and some members of the Government.
The discussions with ex-President Rawlings occasionally touched on Ghana's political history and climate.
Source: myjoyonline - Myjoyonline.com
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