Mahama talks Ayawaso West Wuogon violence with US, Japan envoys - GhanaWeb

General News of Saturday, 9 February 2019

John Dramani Mahama with Stephanie Sullivan

The ambassadors of the United States of America and Japan have paid a courtesy call on former president John Dramani Mahama.

New US Ambassador Stephanie Sullivan called on Mr Mahama on Thursday to formally introduce herself on assumption of office.

The two discussed matters of mutual interest to Ghana and the US and recounted their encounter many years ago when Ambassador Sullivan was a Political Officer in the US Embassy, in Accra.

The discussions among others touched on the recent violence and deployment of state-sponsored vigilante groups during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

The US Ambassador recalled Ghana's credential as a model of peace and security and appealed to the former president to continue to support efforts towards sustaining peace across the country.

He raised the need to ban, totally, the formation and deployment of political paramilitary groups and vigilante groups like the ones deployed by the governing party last Thursday.

He also assured the US government through the ambassador of his commitment to peace and security.

On Friday, when the Japanese Ambassador, Tsutomu Himeno, called on Mr Mahama, the two discussed insecurity at the by-election and the 2020 general elections.

Ambassador Himeno conveyed the warm felicitations of the Prime Minister of Japan, and recounted John Mahama's long-standing and personal relationship with Japan.

Former president John Mahama welcoming the Japanese ambassador Tsutomu Himeno

He also restated his country's commitment to enhancing its cooperation with Ghana and the speedy execution of ongoing projects irrespective of which political party is in government.

Mr Mahama congratulated Japan for its support and recalled the successful restoration of the Yen Loan Portfolio following his personal interventions and meetings with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

He reminded the ambassador about the Volivo Bridge over the Volta Lake, which was the first project agreed for execution under the Yen Loan Portfolio.

Mr. Mahama also thanked Japan for the 1.6 billion Japanese Yen support towards the construction of an Advanced Research Centre into Infectious Diseases at the Noguchi Memorial Institute at Legon.

The former president pushed for the establishment of the Centre following the Ebola Virus Disease that rocked the West African Sub region in 2014, following which Japan during a state visit to Tokyo by then President Mahama in 2016, signed the agreement for the Centre.

They also discussed other matters relating to the Takoradi to Kumasi road, the Tema Motorway Extension, Edubiase bridge and other projects.

Ambassador Himeno said most of the projects will be completed and commissioned in the year 2020.

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