Kumasi, Aug. 11, GNA- Madam Patricia Appiagyei, the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, has stated that the Kumasi Directorate of the Millennium Cities Initiative (MCI) has assisted 14 manufacturing companies to draw business profiles of international standard.

She said copies of the profiles have been lodged with the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) for marketing to foreign investors. Briefing newsmen on the activities and achievements of the Directorate in Kumasi on Thursday, Madam Appiagyei said the MCI has supported six local manufacturers to participate in a Commonwealth business consortium fair, which took place in Accra in May last year. She said the Directorate whose vision was to make Kumasi an internationally acclaimed centre of excellent in Africa, had linked up with local farmers in the Millennium Village Project for supply of raw materials.

Madam Appiagyei said the Directorate ensure an assessment of investment climate by a team from the United States of America. She said the Directorate in collaboration with MASHAW, the Israeli Centre for International Cooperation, organized training courses for health staff and provided facilities to improve health service delivery in the metropolis.

Madam Abenaa Akuamoa-Boateng, Programme Manager of the MCI, said the project was about attracting foreign direct investment and the promotion of integrated city development strategies.

She mentioned other cities in the sub-saharan Africa, which were benefiting from the MCI project as Kisumu in Kenya, Blantyre in Malawi, Akure in Nigeria, Bamako and Segou in Mali and Louga in Senegal. The Programme Manager said, "The MCI will draw upon and strengthen the Millennium Development Goals work already underway by adding a focused urban-based component". 11 Aug 07