The Japanese government is determined to continue its support of Ghana’s development efforts, Ambassador Naoto Nikai has said.

He said though Ghana had reached the middle income status, it was still confronted with challenges at the micro financing sector.

The Japanese government had for the past years assisted the health sector in the Upper West Region with the provision of medical equipment, communication equipment and building the systems as well as the capacity of health workers to enhance quality healthcare services.

Ambassador Nikai was interacting with Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh, Upper West Regional Minister, during a courtesy call on him at his office as part of his tour of facilities sponsored by Japan in the region.

The Japanese government was providing 73 Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compounds for communities in the region, and constructional works on 59 of them would start soon to help improve the healthcare delivery in the communities.

Dr Nsoh said the region was deprived in development and commended the Japanese government of its commitment towards the development of the region in particular, and Ghana as a whole.

He pleaded with the Japanese government not to limit its assistance to the provision of equipment and infrastructure for the health sector alone, but to consider supporting the region with qualified medical personnel to improve the inadequacies in the doctors and other paramedical challenges facing the region.

Dr Nsoh said there were also inadequacies in the agriculture and education sectors and appealed for assistance in the provision of potable water for some senior high schools to improve quality teaching and learning.

He said farmers depended on rain fed agriculture but due to challenges of climate change, crop production was on the decline while poverty is rising.

The Region Minister appealed to the Japanese government to provide storage facilities, for farmers to store their farm produce, the lack of which was compelling them to sell their foodstuff to middlemen at cheap prices and making no profits.