The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the co-operation between Ghana and Cuba is being extended to the eradication of malaria in Ghana.
According to President Akufo-Addo, “soon, through a joint venture agreement with Labiofam S.A., a bio-larvicide factory will be established in Savelugu, in the Northern Region of Ghana.”
In addition, the President indicated that “an agreement is also being reached for the sale of Ghana’s cocoa liquor to the Stella S.A. chocolate factory in Cuba, and we want to examine the possibility of Stella S.A. establishing a manufacturing facility in Ghana.”
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Thursday when he was taken on a tour of the operations of Stella S.A. Chocolate factory, and Labiofam S.A, where, amongst others, the proposal “for a bioproducts manufacturing plant” was agreed on.
Addressing the officials of the company, President Akufo-Addo noted that Ghana spends a lot of money in the fight against malaria, and that is why “when I came here as Foreign Minister, in 2006, I heard about you, and took you to Ghana.”
He continued, “But, before we could concretise everything, my party lost power in Ghana. So, the push for this project went down. Fortunately for the fight against Malaria, I am back again, this time as President, no longer Minister.”
Officials from Labiofam and their Ghanaian promoters, the President stressed, have to make sure that “we sign the technical services contract between West Africa bio-products limited and yourselves, and make sure that the arrangements for funding are in place so we can get going.”
Anxious to get on with the construction of the bio-larvicide factory in Savelugu, President Akufo-Addo noted that it will be a very fitting testimony to the 60 years of relations between Ghana and Cuba.
“Our relations with this country have been very good, right from the beginning, and we have always to remember that Ghana was the very first African country to recognize the government of the Cuban Revolution. Establishing this plant in Ghana will be very strong consolidation of our relations,” he added.
