Gov’t to build 190 Steel Bridges—Amb. Zita Okaikoi

One of the youngest if not the youngest ever Ambassador in the history of Ghana has said the government of Ghana will soon put forward plans to build 190 steel bridges across the length and breadth of the Country.

H. E. Amb. Zita Sebah Okaikoi at 39yrs is said to be the youngest ambassador in the history of Ghana. Speaking on the Osibisa Radio Policy Focus Programme in London, the former Minister for Information (2009-2010) who also served as the Minster for Tourism (2010-2011) who now represents Ghana in the Republic of Czech said, her vision and focus in the next four (4) years is going to be projecting the image of Ghana as an attractive destination for Czech investors and to promote made in Ghana products to the people of the Czech republic. “The president has tasked us as ambassadors to be magnets for attracting investment to Ghana and that is going to be my primary occupation here”.

Asked if there are specific areas of focus which are being giving priority in the government's quests, she said “currently one of our main problems as a country is with the inadequate and unreliable supply of energy and I am talking about the issue of generation. The Czechs are technologically advanced and are one of the lead players in the renewable energy sector. In line with the president's and the government commitment to increase the Ghana's generation capacity to 5000 megawatts and also vary the generation mix, I will be doing everything possible to attract investors into the renewable energy generation sector in Ghana”

Further she said the government is poised on reviving the glass industry in Ghana. “Today in Ghana, many new commercially buildings especially are increasingly being built with a large proportion of glass. These glasses are all imported. We do not want to wait and get to a point in the future where glass importation becomes a drain on our resources, the government led by president Mahama is therefore determined to revive the glass producing industry in Ghana. The Czechs are also good at it and I am going to try and help the president to actualize this vision by attracting Czech investors into the glass industry in Ghana”.

The issue of poor roads network especially from the farming communities to the urban centres is troubling. The bad roads increase post harvest lost resulting in a loss of the profits our farmers make on their produce, discourages the youth from going into agriculture and also results in the overall cost of food. We have weak bridges on our rivers and streams, in certain areas, the bridges are even non-existing and some of them have even become death traps. You just have to travel across the country to see what I am talking about. As part of the presidents vision to ensure improve productivity and living condition of Ghanaians therefore, the government has decided to aggressively construct 190 steel bridges in the coming months. “I will therefore be spearheading the crusade here in Czech in order to attract investors into this area too”.

She also hinted of a business forum she will be organising early next year, which according to her will be a good platform to showcase made in Ghana goods and the opportunities in Ghana. She has invited Ghanaian businesses interested in doing business with the Czech's not to hesitate to contact her office or the Ghana foreign Affairs office. “I am using this Osibisa Radio platform to extend an open invitation to all Ghanaian businesses interested in partnering businesses in Czech to contact my office or our Foreign Affairs Ministry in Accra. Let me also finally state that, I am committed to operating an open door policy to Ghanaians especially those in Czech to contact the mission should they have business ideas, skills and contacts that will help in whichever form towards the building of a better Ghana. And also for all problems they might have.