GERMANY has committed an anount of DM 118.5 be encouraged. Mr Peprah said government would continue to create an enabling environ-ment to increase direct foreign capital investment in the economy. The Italian Ambassador, Mr Paolo Scarso, noted that Italian co-operation with Ghana had increased, particularly in the economic, development aid and culturall sectors.

He recalled recent Italian assistance of C720 million to Ghana for the rehabilitation of the Eastern and Central Railway Lines and the extension of water pipelinefrom kpong to Pantang hospital at a cost of C250 million. He said many other projects of social and communal importance estimated at about c billion were in the pipeline.

Ambassador Scarso said there were 40,000 Ghanaians living in Italy who were working and contributing to the welfare of that country. He later decorated two Ghanaians - Mr Louis Casely Hayford and mr E. A. K. Kalitsi the former and current cheif executives of the Volta River Authority respectively, with the `Knight Commander of Merit of the Republic of Italy' for their contributions to co-operation between the two countries especially in the field of engineering.

Mr G. Barbisotti, Itaian Consul in Kumasi, received a similar award.