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Republic of Malta celebrates National Day in Accra …with a call for investments in Ghana
The High Commission of the Republic of Malta in Ghana, on Wednesday 13th December, 2023 celebrated Malta’s forty-ninth (49th) Republic Day in a colourful event at the premises of the High Commission, located at Ridge in Accra.
The Guest of Honour at the well-attended event was Honourable Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture. During his speech, he urged foreign investors to take advantage of Ghana’s strategic position to invest in the country under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Hon. Awal further explained that AfCFTA, which is a market of about 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of over US$3.3 Trillion, equally offers enormous opportunities for private sector operators to establish their businesses in Ghana through strategic partnerships and Joint Ventures.
The Minister stressed on the four pillars of the Government’s Economic Transformation Agenda which encompass the building of a resilient economy, modernizing Ghana’s agricultural sector, industrial transformation, and infrastructural development. He added that Ghana is committed to building a competitive and stable economy and becoming a more attractive destination for investment. 
“Government’s prioritization of strategic sectors such as tourism, pharmaceuticals, mining, petrochemicals and integrated aluminium situated within the ambit of flagship programmes such as the “Year of Return and Beyond the Return”, “One District One Factory”, present golden opportunities for an enhanced Ghana-Malta cooperation,” he said.
Relations
On the Ghana/Malta relations, he said Ghana valued its relations with Malta and welcomed the cooperation between the two countries in various fields which have deepened bonds of friendship and cooperation.
“Malta is reputed to be a country that has made steady progress to become one of the most competitive industrialised countries in the world.
It is, therefore, worth mentioning that Malta’s efforts towards achieving a buoyant economy and asserting itself as a relevant global player, is indeed worthy of emulation,” he added.
Increasing cooperation
The Maltese High Commissioner to Ghana, Jean Claude Galea Mallia, said the relationship between the two countries has developed since the establishment of the High Commission of Malta in Ghana in 2019.
He said going forward, his outfit will continue working enthusiastically as a proponent for more exchanges between the people of Malta and Ghana.
He said Malta’s priorities in Ghana are driven by the Malta-Africa Strategy for Partnership and aimed at establishing a strong and lasting mutually beneficial collaboration with the country, region, and continent.
“Malta and Ghana are both committed to increasing cooperation and meaningful exchanges in tourism and culture, including knowledge transfer and cooperation on destination marketing strategies, public relations, advertising campaigns, heritage regeneration and repurposing, as well as exchanging tourism-related research and information,” he said.
Photography exhibition
As part of the celebration, a photography exhibition, dubbed, Valletta-Accra: A dialogue between Mercantile Cities, was inaugurated.
According to the High Commissioner, the exhibition forms part of an ongoing collaboration between Maltese and Ghanaian researchers: Architect Erica Giusta representing AP Valletta, Architect David Kojo Derban, Art and Design Writer, Ann Dingli, and Photographer, Paul Addo, supported by the Malta Arts Council.
He said the purpose of the exhibition and the research project is to convey a dynamic perspective on heritage, rooted in the basic theoretical principle that heritage should not be static but rather in constant evolution.
“The conclusion that shall be taken from this is that sustainable heritage could be achieved by the full utilisation and harmonisation of natural, cultural, folkloric, and historical and architectural resources fused.
Through such partnerships, researchers, architects, artists, and curators from both countries may share experience and knowledge with finding innovative solutions for preserving heritage and bringing it closer to the public,” he said.
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
