The Japanese Government on Wednesday granted 500 million yen, approximately 4.5 million dollars to the Ghana Government for on lending to the private sector. Mrs Kazuko Asai, Japanese Ambassador, said the grant was to help facilitate individual private companies in various industrial sectors, who import indispensable materials for production purposes.

"It is to encourage private sector development as a main pillar of its own development strategy", she said.

Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who received the grant on behalf of the Government, said such donations served as a budgetary support and helped to boost the private sector. He promised that the grant would be used for the purpose of enhancing productivity, adding that the grant would go a long way to increase employment opportunities.