Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation has reiterated Ghana’s commitment to cooperate with the European Union to address the menace of illegal migration.

He said government’s efforts to stem the tide of irregular migration were paying off; declaring that statistics by the International Organization for Migration indicated that there had been a sharp decline in the number of young men and women crossing the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.

“From a figure of 5,756 in 2016, Ghana recorded 4,046 in 2017 and a low 497 between January and July 2018,” Prof, Frimpong-Boateng stated.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng, made these remarks, when he led the Government’s delegation to a cocktail reception organised by the EU Delegation to mark EU Day in Accra.

He said government would continue to step-up efforts at controlling illegal migration.

The EU Day is observed on May 9, each year to celebrate peace and unity in Europe.

The event was attended by Ministers of State, Ambassadors of EU Member States in Ghana and other dignitaries.

“Government believes that there is the need to propel the country’s economic and infrastructural development through mobilisation of resources internally by implementing prudent economic measures and to promote effective industrialisation.”

He said, he was equally happy at the proposed official visit to Ghana in June by Mr Jyrki Tapani Katainen, who is a Finnish politician and the European Commission Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness to participate in the Ghana-EU Business Forum to be held from 13th to 14th June.

“I have no doubt that this meeting will provide an opportunity for businesses from Ghana and the EU to renew their commitment to fair and healthy competition and to negotiate new deals,” he said.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng on the behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo expressed appreciation of the Government and people of Ghana to the EU for its continuous support and assistance to Ghana through various interventions.

He commended EU for the 40 Million Euro budget support extended to Ghana in the early part of the year as part of the G20 Compact for Africa initiative and described it as a significant contribution to developmental drive.

“What happened in Burkina Faso a few weeks ago is a reminder that we are all living in dangerous times. We therefore, need to make concerted and collective efforts to tackle terrorism everywhere in the world,” he said.

He said that Ghana would continue to shine that exemplary light as a peaceful, stable, democratic nation, and a respecter of individual liberties and human rights as well as religious tolerance and pluralism.

Madam Diana Acconcia, the Head of the EU Delegation to Ghana said Ghana was indeed, a privileged partner for the proposal of an Africa-EU Alliance for sustainable investments and jobs, which largely echoed the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda and promoted a paradigm shift from traditional aid to a partnership of equals, with private sector engagement at the core of Ghana’s development path.