Veep Commends Sister-City Initiative

The Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has described the Sister-City initiative between Ghana and the US as a “beneficiary relationship” aimed at reducing poverty and enhancing human resource development.

He said various metropolises, municipalities and districts which had entered into such relations stood to derive some socio-economic and cultural benefits.

The Vice-President said this when he interacted with a six-member delegation from Lauderdale, Florida, the United States of America, which is currently in the country to fashion a Sister-City relationship with Agogo in the Asante-Akyem North District of the Ashanti Region.

Recounting his personal experience as former chairman of the Tamale-Louisville Sister City relations, Alhaji Mahama said the cultural and economic benefits were tremendous.

He commended the delegation for masterminding the establishment of an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Centre at Agogo.

The Vice-President expressed appreciation to the Paramount Chief of the Agogo Traditional Area, Nana Akuoko Sarpong, for his enthusiasm in bringing development to his people, saying that was what the government expected from traditional leaders.

“As we work together, we will realise our dreams of prosperity for both sides,” he said.

Mr Arlon Kennedy of Sister-Cities International and Country Chairman of the Agogo project, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, said the Agogo ICT Centre was the maiden cyber sister-city relationship to be developed.

He said the delegation had concluded a pact for the export of honey from Agogo to Florida.

Mr Kennedy stated that the delegation had held a series of meetings with a number of ministries and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre GIPC) for the development of active and positive relations with Ghana.

Mrs Jo Mostowitz, a member of the delegation, pledged the commitment of her company, Citrix Systems, towards the holistic development of Agogo.

Story by E. Kojo Kwarteng