Accra, March 15, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday underlined the need for African nations to compare notes as they work to diversify their economies and reduce poverty. He said only a strong co-operation could fast-track the diversification of their economies to reduce poverty, create wealth and ensure better and improved lives.

President Mills made the statement when a delegation from the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), led by the Director General, Dr Kandeh Yomkella, called on him at the Osu Castle, in Accra.

The President said Government would not abandon the support pillars of agriculture, trade and industry for the newly found oil and gas industry as Ghana made efforts to improve and diversify the economy.

The UNIDO delegation was in Accra for a two-day conference on testing a diversification model to change the face of the African economy and make it become the next global economic giant. President Mills said Ghana could not rely on the oil industry alone and so Government would throw its weight behind all sectors of the economy in efforts to build a prosperous nation and continent. He said it was necessary for the nation to ponder over the next stage it was going, after it had begun to pump oil in commercial quantities.

To that end Government would continue to lend support to the other sectors of the economy, develop the human resource base to diversify and ensure a better economy.

President Mills urged partnership among African nations to find solutions to the challenges of diversification and come out with models that would be in the interest of the people, create jobs and reduce poverty. Dr Yomekella lauded Ghana for its premier role in the African independence struggle, democratic governance and the recent discovery and exploration of oil in commercial quantities. He said Ghana was instrumental in his appointment for the first and second time to the position of UNIDO Director General. Dr Yomekella expressed the hope that the test in Ghana to fashion out a model for diversification and poverty reduction in Africa would succeed.

"Africa must position itself to be the next frontier of growth," Dr Yomekella said.

Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, Executive Secretary of the African Caribbean and Pacific nations, said Africa was really determined to make a difference to realise its full potential. He called for the adoption of models that would make oil wealth become a blessing, rather than a curse.