'We’re Dealing With China With Our Eyes Wide Open'

President Akufo-Addo has said that Ghanaians will not be short-changed in their dealings with China.

The President was speaking at the 5th edition of the Financial Times Africa Summit, on the theme: 'Ghana, Africa means business' on Monday (October 8, 2018).

According to the president, his government 'will look after our interests, in much the same way as we know all other nations that we deal with, look after their own interests', adding that: 'We are not the only ones dealing with China, everyone is dealing with China, and we are doing so with our eyes wide open.'

The president added that the government is not only focusing on China but other investors around the world.

'We will look east, west, north and south without prejudice, but there should be no surprise if we are more welcoming to those who are prepared to invest in our priority areas.'

He opined that the current group of leaders of his administration 'are all much wiser about these things and we are going into these new relationships with our eyes wide open. Nobody is coming, pretending to be bringing God's Word in one hand, and taking our lands with the other.'

'I am working towards building a Ghana where her people have jobs and decent livelihoods. Ghana is endowed with great potential, where security and the rule of law are upheld, and where investments are secure. We want to contribute to the global market place at the higher level of the value chain for Ghanaian products.'

'We want to bring greater dignity to the lives of millions of people in Ghana. We want to build a Ghana Beyond Aid, which has discarded a mindset of dependence, aid, charity and handouts, and we mean business,' he added.