STRENGTHEN RELATIONS BETWEEN GHANA AND SWAZILAND (PAGE 22, AUGUST 21, 2010)

THE Queen of Swaziland, Her Royal Highness Nomsah E. Matsebula, has called on the government of Ghana and Swaziland to open offices in their respective countries to help strengthen the existing relationship between them.
She stated that the opening of the consulates would not only help deepen the ties between the two countries, but also enable citizens to do business with ease.
The Swazi Queen made the call when she paid a courtesy call on the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, at the residency in Sunyani as part of her visit to the region.
Queen Matsebula stated that Ghana and Swaziland shared things in common, being members of the Commonwealth and the African Union (AU) and therefore there was the need for further co-operation between the two countries for their mutual benefit and that of their citizens.
She further called for regular state visits at the presidential and ministerial levels between Ghana and Swaziland to cement the existing bond of friendship.
The Queen of Swalizand said her visit was more of a private one but due to the courtesies extended to her and her entourage by the government, coupled with the warm hospitality of the people, she saw the visit as a formal one than private.
She expressed her gratitude to the government of Ghana and her people for the warm reception.
In his response, Mr Nyamekye-Marfo said the chiefs and people of the region were grateful for her visit which, he said, had also gone a long way to strengthen the existing relationship between the two countries that dated as far back as Dr Nkrumah’s regime.
He said Brong Ahafo produced about 30 per cent of the country’s food and cash crop needs, notably cocoa, cashew and timber for export, as well as minerals such as Gold.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo said the region could also boast of clean cities and towns as well as the evergreen forests coupled with the many tourist sites.
He, therefore, called on the business and investor communities in Swaziland to invest in Ghana, especially, in the agro-processing sector where the region had comparative advantage.
Her Royal Highness Matsebula later presented a parcel on behalf of the King of Swaziland, the President and people of Swaziland to Mr Nyamekye-Marfo.
The regional minister also reciprocated the gesture with the presentation of a pure Kente cloth to the Queen on behalf of the government, the Regional Co-ordinating Council, the chiefs and people of the region.
The Swazi Queen also visited the Kintampo Waterfalls in the region and paid a courtesy call on the Omanhene of the Sunyani Traditional Area, Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawirie II, at his palace.