Ghana Gets Consulate In Arkansas, USA

Ghana has opened a new consulate in Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas State in the US, to further deepen ties between the two countries.

The new consulate would provide consular services to Ghanaians and other people in Arkansas and Mississippi Delta Region of the US, which covers about eight states.

The consulate was established in February last year after Sherman Banks was appointed as Consul General.

The consulate was officially commissioned by Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama, on Thursday. The minister is leading a government delegation to the Arkansas Municipal League Conference on behalf of President Akufo-Addo.

She expressed delight about the decision to open a consulate in the Mississippi Delta Region of the US.

Hajia Alima disclosed that the new consulate would boost investment and trade between the two countries.

The Delta Region is mainly an agrarian area, with rice production being their main source of income.

Arkansas, which is the leading rice growing area in the United States, exports the produce to Ghana, which runs into several million of dollars.

The Consul General Sherman Banks, who has been a lead advocate of sister cities collaboration between Arkansas and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana, was hopeful the new consulate would provide more opportunities to boost the sister cities collaborations.

Through the sister cities concept, some MMDAs are receiving support from some US cities to build their capacity in the areas of education, health and infrastructural development, among others.

From Fortune Alimi, Little Rock, US