General News of Monday, 27 November 2006

Source: GNA

Canadian Governor-General visits GRATIS

Accra, Nov. 27, GNA - Madam Michaelle Jean, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, who is on four-day state visit to Ghana, on Monday visited the Ghana Regional Appropriate Technical Industrial Service (GRATIS) in Tema and the Maamobi Community Learning Centre in Kanda, which are Canadian funded projects.

Since 1987, Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has provided approximately 13 million Canadian dollars (105 billion cedis) to assist GRATIS to promote the development of appropriate technologies and training in Ghana.

The Maamobi Community Learning Centre was constructed with funds from Kathy Knowles, a Former Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, to help to inculcate the habit of reading into the children in the community.

The Governor General's visit to GRATIS was to highlight the contribution that GRATIS was making to develop and generate employment in Ghana through the provision of appropriate technology and skills.

GRATIS, with Mr John Eluerkeh as the Acting Chief Executive Officer, is a non-governmental organization that promotes marketable technologies and entrepreneurial skills for the growth of industry and business enterprises in Ghana and West Africa.

Its main activities are manufacturing with focus on agriculture and agro -processing, provision of environmental and sanitation equipment and technology-based training.

Madam Jean is leading a 14-member high profile delegation to strengthen bilateral relationship with Ghana and the many local partnerships created through CIDA and other Canadian entities. 27 Nov. 06