Dr John Abu, Minister of Mines and Energy, says Brunei and Ghana will hope to conclude discussions to provide technical assistance to support Ghana's crude oil exploration programme.

Dr Abu said negotiations between the government and the Sultanate will also focus on the provision of softer terms of crude oil imports. Speaking to newsmen shortly after the arrival of the Sultan of Brunei, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in Accra for a two-day visit, the minister said discussions on the issues started when President Jerry Rawlings visited Brunei in March. The Sultan is at the head of a 23-member delegation that includes two ministers and his two wives Raja and Pangiran. The visit, which comes after that by President Rawlings in March this year, is expected to boost relations between Ghana and the oil rich South East Asian country. There are high expectations among Ghanaians that Brunei, whose main exports and economic mainstay are crude oil and liquefied natural gas, will offer some relief to the Ghanaian economy which has suffered severe macro-economic setbacks in recent times.

"I hope it will not be a mere reciprocal visit. Our economy is in difficulty and we need them to give us some hope, and not just a limousine drive," a top official of the Finance Ministry said. The official was echoing the thoughts of many Ghanaian on the significance of the Royal visit. Sultan Bolkiah and President Rawlings are scheduled to hold discussions during which the Sultan is expected to give some details of economic relief for Ghana.

Brunei, covering a space of 5,770 square kilometres, has a population of about 400,000 and in 1996 earned 2.62 billion dollars in exports. Currently, three foreign companies are engaged in various stages of exploratory activity in Southern Ghana.