Ghana to learn best practices from OECD - President Mahama

From:George-Ramsey Benamba, GNA Special Correspondent in Paris

Paris, Oct 7, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama has given the assurance that his administration would learn the best practices from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) in the coming years.

He said already Ghana was carrying out tax policy reforms and the signing onto the organization would deepen its knowledge and skills to step up revenue generation in the country.

President Mahama who was speaking in an interview with Journalists after signing onto the organization in Paris said, Ghana had over the years developed partnership with OECD and the formal joining would cement that relationship in the coming years.

He said the OECD had over the years developed objectivity in structural issues, and Ghana would benefit from such values that would catapult its development agenda in the country and beyond.

President Mahama said government would also improve financial management to stabilize the economy, adding that OECD had some experts that could be used for transformation and change.

He said Ghana would also enjoy some reviews from existing members, a situation he added, would help the country to fine-tune some of the challenges the country had experienced over the years.

On the maritime border disputes with the Ivory Coast, President Mahama said their disagreements were not tantamount to war with his neighbour.

"We are both members of the Economic Community of West African States, and share common goals and values, apart from the common social and culture values we share in our sub-region."

He said between governments relations were solid and even at the private level.

Boundary disputes, President Mahama pointed out, were not peculiar to Ghana, explaining that countries had always found amicable ways of settling their issues although such disputes might look huge in the eyes of unaffected countries.

President Mahama said Ghana was focused on leveraging her development agenda to make citizens comfortable, and was therefore not disturbed by such disagreements that were prevalent all over the world.

Ghana joins the OECD as the 50th country in the world and the ninth on the African continent.

GNA