Visiting President Alpha Conde of Guinea on Friday appealed to Ghanaian companies to increase business relations with Guinea to accomplish the bond between the two countries initiated by late President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and late President Sekou Toure.

President Conde, who was the Special Guest at the 57th Independence parade, said this when he visited the Blue Skies Holding Limited, a fruit juice company as part of his three-day visit to Ghana.

He was taken round factory and said Guinea had an intention of establishing similar companies and stressed the need for companies to employ workers of both sex to reduce gender imbalances in the labour market.

Ms Ruth Smith-Adjei, the General Manager of Blue Skies Product who briefed the President on the company’s operations, said the Company began operations in 1997 with a workforce of 33 and now had 1,860 workers. The company produces Blue Skies mango, Blue Skies pineapple and Blue Skies pawpaw among other products.

She said the Company is 75 per cent owned by a British company and their Ghanaian counterparts own 25 per cent and operates in the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Senegal and Egypt. Ms Smith-Adjei said in the next five years, the company would penetrate the Asian markets.

The Guinean President had earlier visited the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum where he laid wreaths on the tombs of President Nkrumah and his wife Fathia. Nkrumah. Ghana's historical relations with Guinea go way back to the 1950s when the two countries established diplomatic relations.

Guinea became home to Dr. Nkrumah when he was overthrown in 1966 and late President Sekou Toure made him co-President.

President Mahama and President Conde are expected to co-host a seminar on the Responsible Mineral Development Initiative (RMDI) at the Accra International Conference Centre as a follow-up to their recent meetings on responsible mining at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The occasion is also expected to be used in connecting Ghanaian business owners in agriculture, tourism, energy and mining sectors with Guinean government officials and business executives.