Accra (Central Region) 24 May ?99

Tema and the London Borough of Greenwich on Friday agreed by resolution to form a twinning partnership to promote social, economic and cultural ties between them.

Nii Armah Ashitey, Metropolitan Chief Executive, signed the twinning charter for the harbour city whilst Mayor John Fahy signed for the London side.

A statement issued by the Ghana High Commission in London and released in Accra on Saturday said the signing ceremony coincided with the inauguration of the new Mayor for Greenwich. The large audience at the ceremony was treated to Ghanaian music and dance.

The two mayors declared to maintain permanent ties between the councils of the two communities, and to promote mutual understanding, respect and friendship between their cities.

They will also promote human and cultural relations between their councils and the youth of the two cities.

Nii Armah Ashitey and Mr John Fahy affirmed that the partnership is a catalyst for a wide range of links and tangible benefits for their two communities, and this, he said, would go beyond traditional twinning arrangements.

Mr John Fahy said that a minimum of 500,000 pounds sterling would be raised during the year for the construction of a Polytechnic in Tema.

There will also be a regular exchange of information between schools in Greenwich and Tema.

The two councils are also to be linked up, as a matter of urgency by e-mail, to ensure an effective communication link between them.

Other programmes to be undertaken under the twinning would include visits, cultural exchanges, fostering business links, inter cultural education, approaches to local government and development, and health promotion.

Both Mayors emphasised the need for the twinning agreement to be meaningful, and a partnership that would make a lasting difference to both communities.

The statement said Nii Armah Ashitey invited the business community in the UK to the Millennium Texpo, which is scheduled to take place in Tema from November to December this year.

He congratulated the new mayor on his election and hoped that together they would work to build a fruitful, lasting and sustainable relationship for the mutual benefit of the communities.

Mr. Chris Kpodo, Ghana's deputy High Commissioner in London said the High Commission acknowledged its role as facilitator to the realisation of the objectives and programmes of the partnership.

He said that the mission saw in the partnership yet another opportunity to strengthen and sustain collaborative and mutual beneficial co-operation between Ghana and the United Kingdom.

The deputy high commissioner said it was significant that while some nations are busy building monuments to celebrate both the glories of the passing millennium and the vision for the new one, Tema and Greenwich are building bridges of partnership, co-operation, understanding and friendship for the mutual benefit of their people.

Mr Kpodo observed that Ghana and the UK have a lot to learn from each other and the High Commission was committed to creating an enabling environment for this to happen.

The statement said Nii Ashitey held discussions with officials of the Greenwich Council, and visited the Millennium Dome and Afro-Caribbean organisations in the Borough.