From: Patrick A. Firempong, GNA Special Correspondent - Malabo.

Malabo, May 31, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Sunday said Government was determined to stabilize the relationship between Ghana and Equatorial Guinea for Ghanaians living in Equatorial Guinea to work and live freely.

" We want to stabilize the relationship between both countries so that our compatriots will feel free to go about their normal activities," he said.

President Kufuor was addressing the Ghanaian Community in Equatorial Guinea in Malabo as part of his three-day state visit. He said Africa was re-awakening and determined to re-asses itself alongside other continents and peoples therefore; relationships among Africans should be productive anywhere on the continent.

President Kufuor briefed the Ghanaians on the nation's Socio-economic development and said the government was not working on the basis of discrimination or witch-hunting.

Mr Dominic E. Aboagye, Consul General of Ghana in Malabo in a welcoming address, commended the government for the prompt and efficient manner in which stranded Ghanaians were evacuated in the wake of the recent political disturbances in Equatorial Guinea.

He was optimistic that the groundbreaking visit by President Kufuor would yield positive results for the mutual benefit of the people from both countries.

Mr. Kofi Arphul, a spokesman for the Ghanaian community also commended the government for the prompt evacuation of the stranded Ghanaians.

He appealed to the government for the upgrading of the Ghana Consulate to a permanent Embassy.

Mr Arphul suggested that efforts should be made to make travelling between both countries easy.