Dalun (NR), April 3, GNA - Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, Northern Regional Minister has appealed to communities who are in friendship links with other countries to build such relations as a basis for professional project implementation to develop their communities. He said there were countless benefits that relationships bring to poor communities through various projects and stressed the importance for all to engage in meaningful friendships to enhance development in various communities.

Alhaji Boniface said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive (NCE) at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Ghanaian-Danish Friendship Cooperation at Dalun in the Tolon/Kumbungu District on Friday.

The Ghanaian-Danish Communities Association (GDCA), is a Denmark and Ghana friendship link based at Dalun and was offering "School for Life" programmes to various communities in the Northern Region aimed at reducing the rate of illiteracy in the region.

There has been continuous exchange of visits between the two communities to foster the relationship and DANIDA, a Danish NGO has also been contributing towards the development and sustenance of the friendship.

The celebration was on the theme: "Education for all by the 2015: Myth or reality" and was attended by a large number of people from various communities in Dalun and its surrounding communities. The Minister commended the two friendship communities for sustaining their relationship for the past 25 years and that their existence in offering literacy programmes to the communities was on the right path, which would help reduce the rate of illiteracy.

Mr Thomas Ravn-Pedersen, chairman of the Ghana Friendship Groups expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian partners adding that friendship be based on equality and mutual respect..

Dr Abubakar Al-Hassan, chairman of GDCA catalogued the achievements of GDCA since its inception, which was realized through cooperation and called for further collaboration to enhance the relation.