From: George-Ramsey Benamba, GNA Special Correspondent in Prague

Prague, Nov. 10, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday stated that Ghana's democratic credentials, coupled with the massive improvement of the economy could serve as security and safety net for potential investors in the country.

" I can also assure you that Ghana has the necessary raw materials and potentials in cocoa, timber, gold, electricity and recently oil and gas, and any investor seeking to invest in Ghana will definitely reap returns in a matter of months."

Vice President Mahama gave the assurance when he addressed the opening ceremony of a three-day Ghana-Czech Trade and Investment Forum, organised by the Ghana Embassy in the Czech Republic and the Ghana Investment Promotion Council, to showcase the investment potentials in Ghana.

The forum is being attended by more than 100 Ghanaians, Czech nationals as well as African and European entrepreneurs. The Vice President said although Ghana is ready to partner investors in so many areas of development, real estate development, infrastructural development and agro-processing are paramount to the country since those areas could boost national development. "Although governments over the years have contributed to these areas, we still need more roads, railways, schools, health facilities and other basic facilities and food sufficiency to strive to the status of a middle income nation."

He said with the discovery of oil and gas there is the need to improve on roads, rails and air transport sectors as they serve as pulling factors to attract investors and genuine trade partners to turn the economy round.

Vice President Mahama called on the Czech business community to take a cursory look at the provision of irrigation dams and estate development.

He said rejuvenation of the defunct sugar, shoe, glass, match, jute and other factories which were mostly established by the former Soviet Union States would provide adequate jobs for the teeming youth of Ghana and subsequently move Ghana to the status of a high middle income country.

Mr Victor Smith, Ghana's Ambassador called on the Czech government and business entities to endeavour to invest in the Information, Communication and Technology sector to share their expertise and technical know-how to Ghanaian Entrepreneurs, who are yet to have a foothold in that realm of development.

He said with good financial support Ghana could live up to the accolade of being the "gateway to Africa", since the country is endowed with numerous natural resources with a stable government to marshal such resources.

Mr Smith called on participating Ghanaian entrepreneurs to take advantage of the expertise of the Czechs to forge cordial and useful relations that could yield mutual benefit.

Mr Josef Cilek, Vice President of the Czech Chamber of Commerce said it was unfortunate that his country's investment in Ghana had slowed down, adding: "I want to believe that this investment forum will rekindle and whip up the enthusiasm of the Czech to revisit the country that they once benefited financially from."

He said the chamber has a membership of 15,000 entrepreneurs and after the forum, many of them would take advantage of the potentials to invest in Ghana. 10 Nov. 10