Brazilian Govt. To Give Ghana A Credit Facility

The Brazilian government is giving Ghana a credit facility to acquire a jet for the Ghana Air force to enable it transport troops from one operational are to the other.

The 90 seater plane, known as ERJ190, is being manufactured by Brazilian Aeronautics Company, Inc. (Embraer), a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate.

Vice-president John Dramani Mahama, who is currently in Brazil to conclude the deal on behalf of the Ghana government told journalists, while touring the company's headquarters main production facilities, and engineering/design offices in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, that the agreement was subject to Parliamentary approval.

According to him the Ghana Air Force had already sent a technical team to Embraer that had seen to the resolution of few details in respect of the aircraft.

“A technical team from the Air Force came here about three weeks before we arrived and so ours is to just finalise the political aspect of it and it will go to Parliament. Once Parliament approves it, the contract is signed,” the vice-president indicated.

Even though, Mr. Mahama did not disclose the amount of money involved, he mentioned that it was a “Brazilian Exim Bank facility and it’s payable in about 10 years at 2.5% interest with two years grace period. It’s one of the lowest interest rate.”

He praised the company of fast tracking the contract to enable Ghana acquire the aircraft in ten months instead of the normal twenty-four months periods for orders to be received because of the good relationship existing between Ghana and Brazil.

The vice-president noted that the decision to acquire the aircraft for the military was to give them a better operational efficiency, adding that “normally, when they want to move troops they have to rely on the United Nations (UN) to charter a flight for them.

Mr. Mahama,who was accompanied by Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Agriculture and Mr. Seth Terkper, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, appealed to Embraer to set up a mechanized facility to help maintain the aircraft the Ghana Armed Forces has and also for any other countries who have the same aircraft in Africa when they need maintenance and servicing .

On other areas of investment, vice-president Mahama disclosed that he was in Brazil to also look at attracting Brazilian investors for social and infrastructural development.

He mentioned that another hydro-electric project in Juale on the Oti River where the vice-president is pushing hard for quick take off.

“Brazil has approved it but there are few stumbling blocks we need to clear so that that project can add another 100 megawatt of hydro-electric power to our generation.

“There are several other projects that Brazilians investors looking to establish industries in Ghana,” Mr. Mahama stated.

One of such projects, he said, include cashew processing facility that would give ready market to cashew farmers in Ghana, particularly Brong Ahafo Region and Northern part of the country.

“This should encourage us to think and believe that if we put in our best as Ghanaians, Ghana will become the next emerging economy in Africa,” Mr. Mahama stressed.

The vice-president was conducted round the facilities by Acir Padicha, Vice-President of Embraer, who is in charge of Defense, Marketing and Sales.

Also accompanying the Vice President were Ghana’s ambassador to Brazil. H.E Samuel Kofi Dadey, the Member of Parliament for Krachi West, Francis Safo, Chief Director in the office of the Vice President, Roger Angsomwine and Michael Obuobi, a Presidential Aide in the office of the Vice President.
The Vice President, John Dramani Mahama, left Accra on Monday April 05, 2010 for a 4-day visit to the Federative Republic of Brazil. The visit is at the invitation of the His Excellency José Alencar Gomes da Silva, Vice President of Brazil.

Story: Wisdom Peter Awuku, Sao Paulo, Brazil