London, April 14, GNA - Ghana's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), Mr Annan Arkyin Cato, has been presented with the "Freedom of the City of London Award" for exemplary leadership and tremendous contribution to the growth and strengthening of Ghana-UK ties.

Relations between the two countries, is now at all time high culminating in President John Agyekum Kufuor's historic State Visit to the UK, the first ever by a Ghanaian Head of State at the invitation of the British Monarch, in March 2007.

The award conferred on Mr Cato by the Mayor of London is reserved for royalty, statesmen and philanthropists.

Former recipients include Former South African President Nelson Mandela; Theodore Roosevelt and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, both Former Presidents President of United States; Florence Nightingale, Mother Nursing; and Prime Minister Winston Churchill Britain. Alderman Sir John Stuttard, who presented the award on behalf of the Mayor, paid tribute to the High Commissioner for his role in deepening Ghana-UK bilateral relations and partnership.

Mr Cato dedicated the honour to the entire Ghanaian Community. He said Ghana cherished its relations with the UK and conveyed appreciation for the development support towards the country's socio-economic transformation from the British.

He used the occasion to woo the business community of the City of London and the British public to put their money into Ghana's economy saying, they should see Ghana as an attractive country for investment and relaxation.

The High Commissioner said he was happy with the positive response to President Kufuor's appeal to the financial sector in the City, by pledging amounts far in excess of the 750 million pounds sterling, which Ghana had hoped to raise by floating bonds on the London Market.

Referring to the President's state visit, he noted that its significance ran deeper than the glamour put on display, saying: "It represented the depth of the uninterrupted 50 years of friendship between Ghana and the UK and equally important was the resolve of the two countries to continue to work together in the interest of greater world peace."