Ghana Backs Nuclear-Free World - Akumfi

GHANA supports a nuclear-free world in which nuclear-technology will be utilised solely for peaceful purposes and socio-economic advancement of people, Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Ports and Harbours, was said.

He was speaking on Monday in Accra at a reception held by the Iran Embassy, to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

'As we celebrate the Golden Jubilee of our attainment of independence, we are grateful for the peace and stability our country enjoys, we envisage and are committed to global peace and security,' he said.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi acknowledged the co-operation between Ghana and Islamic Republic of Iran in various fields of endeavour and expressed appreciation to the Iranian government for her immense assistance to Ghana.

'This support has been in the form of projects sponsorship by the government of Iran as well as scholarships offered Ghanaians for various courses of study, including medicine in Iran,' he added.

He said the operation of health centres and the establishment of the Islamic University in Accra completed the government’s efforts to develop the health and education sectors as 'we strive to achieve our Millennium Development Goals and also realise our desire for attainment of middle-income country status.'

The Iranian Ambassador to Ghana, Valiollah Mohammadi, said Ghana and Iran were determined to further promote bilateral relations based on the common stance of major international and regional issues as well as their commonalities and historical precedence in anti-colonial, apartheid struggles, Non-Aligned Movement and South-South Co-operation.

He said under the leadership of late Imam Khomeini, the wishes of the Iranian people were fulfilled with the Islamic Revolution providing the long awaited desired change 'putting an end to despotism and suppression.'

'But this popular uprising was nbot welcomed by some big powers. Throughout these years, we have had variety of challenges and threats, invasions and so on, we managed all of them, however big they were,' he said.

Mr Mohammadi said Iran, for the sake of its present and future generations, had sought new energy like nuclear energy as the fossil ones were doomed to deplete in the few decades.

'While we have done nothing wrong, only using our rights in accordance with nuclear power technology, we have been victims of double-standard policies,' he said.

'We have done enough to assure the world of our peaceful atomic policy. There have been one inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency that has made a record of such inspections,' he added.

Mr Mohammadi praised Ghana for its developmental efforts, its remarkable role with various regional, sub-regional and international organizations.

'The agenda by the government to eradicate poverty and obtain greater prosperity for the entire people of Ghana and to uphold good governance are yielding tangible results,' he said.

Mr Mohammadi commended President J. A. Kufuor for his good leadership and congratulated him on his election as the Chairman of the African Union.