India-Ghana Relations Political relations: Indo-Ghanaian relations have traditionally been warm and friendly. The strong foundation of our bilateral relations was laid by India’s first Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, and Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The two great leaders also enjoyed a close friendship. Major visits from Ghana in the past include the visit of President Nkrumah in 1961 and President Limann in 1981. President Rawlings made a stopover in Mumbai on his way from Beijing in 1993, and again visited India in 1997 to attend the funeral ceremony of Late Mother Teresa. In addition, there were several Ministerial visits, including that of the Foreign Minister for the NAM Ministerial Conference in April 1986. President Kufuor, accompanied by a high level delegation visited India in August 2002. Four bilateral agreements were signed including one which relates to the setting up of a Centre of Excellence for Training in Information Technology in Accra (which became operational in December 2003); and Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA); Protocol on Consultations between MEA and Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a Cultural and Scientific Exchange Programme. The Vice President of Ghana H.E. Alhaji Aliu Mahama, led a large Ghanaian delegation to the CII conclave held in New Delhi in March 2008. In April 2008, President Kufuor visited India to participate in India-Africa Forum Summit held in New Delhi. Vice President John Dramani Mahama accompanied by Minister of Trade & Industry Ms. Hanna Tetteh visited India to participate in the CII-Exim Bank Conclave in March 2010. Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon’ble Ms. Akua Sena Dansua visited India in October 2010 as head of the Ghanaian contingent to the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi. The Minister of Trade and Industry of Ghana Ms. Hanna Tetteh led the Ghanaian delegation to the Joint Trade Committee in January, 2011 and in January, 2012 for the 18th Partnership Summit (New Age Innovation Partnership, 2012) held at Hyderabad. Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, led a Ghanaian delegation to India on 21-26 March, 2011 for discussions on the joint venture fertilizer project. Dr. Joseph S. Annan, Deputy Minister of Trade & Industry led the Ghanaian delegation to the 7th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership held in Delhi on 27-29 March, 2011. Ms. Samia Nkrumah, MP, was also part of the delegation. She visited India again on 15-22 March 2012 under ICCR’s ‘Distinguished Visitors Programme’. Leading a 4-member delegation, Ms. Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment Science and Technology, participated in the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in Hyderabad from 17-19 October, 2012. Mr. Clement Humado, Minister of Food and Agriculture, led the Ghanaian delegation to the 9th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave held in Delhi on 17-19 March, 2013. Major visits from India include the visit of the Prime Minister Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, accompanied by a high level delegation on 8-9 November 1995 on his return from Burkina Faso. During the visit, an agreement to form the Joint Commission between India and Ghana was signed. The then Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Anand Sharma, led a high level delegation to Ghana on 24-26 May 2006 for the CII-EXIM Regional Conclave on India-Africa Project Partnership and TEAM-9 Ministerial Meeting. Subsequently, MOS(AS) visited Accra: on 4-7 March, 2007 to attend the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Ghana’s Independence; in July 2008 as Special Envoy of Prime Minister; on 9-11 November, 2008 for the inauguration of the Presidential Complex financed partly through a Line of Credit provided by EXIM Bank of India; in January 2009 as Special Envoy of Prime Minister to convey good wishes of the Government and people of India to new Government headed by President John Evans Atta Mills. Shri Anand Sharma visited Ghana as Minister of Commerce and Industry (CIM) on 1-3 September 2010 as leader of a high level business delegation for the India-Ghana CEOs Round Table held in Accra. The visit formed part of India’s “Focus Africa” policy. Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. Shashi Tharoor made a short transit halt in Accra en route India from Liberia on 19 September, 2009. He called on President Atta Mills and discussed with him matters of mutual interest. Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), Shri Vayalar Ravi visited Ghana on 1-3 February 2010 as part of his visit to some African countries. During the visit MOIA called on President Atta Mills and also met with Interior Minister Cletus Avoka and Dy. Foreign Minister Chris Kpodo. On the occasion of the hosting of the ‘India Show’ in Ghana, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles Shri Anand Sharma led a high level official as well as business delegation to Accra on 8-10 July, 2012. The event was organized at Ghana International Trade Fair in Accra on 9-11 July, 2012 by FICCI under the auspices of the Government of India and with the support from Ministry of Trade and Industry (Ghana), ECOWAS, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and Association of Ghana Industries. During this visit, he held bilateral talks/meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs & Regional Integration, Minister of Trade & Industry, Minister of Energy and Minister of Food & Agriculture. He, jointly with the Minister of Trade & Industry of the Republic of Ghana inaugurated the India Show on 9 July and also addressed a Business Conference at Ghana Trade Fair Centre. Secretary (Fertilizer) with other Senior officials from Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizer, who were a part of the inter-Ministerial delegation, also met the Deputy Minister of Energy, the Regional Minister and the Deputy Regional Minister of Western Region of Ghana and held discussions relating to the setting up of a Joint Venture Fertilizer Plant in Ghana. He also visited the proposed site of the plant in Shama district of Western Region of Ghana. Hon'ble Minister of State for External Affairs Smt Preneet Kaur visited Ghana on 9-10 August to attend the funeral service of the late President John Evans Atta Mills. A high-level GOI delegation, led by Shri Sudhir Mital, Secretary (Fertilizer), visited Ghana on 23-28 June, 2013 for discussions on India Ghana Joint Venture Fertilizers Project. The delegation met the Ministers of Trade & Industry, Food & Agric and Energy & Petroleum respectively. It also called on President to brief him on the outcome of their visit. Presidential & Parliamentary Elections 2012 Incumbent President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was elected as the President in the Presidendial elections held on 7-8 December 2012. President Mahama was sworn-in for the first full term of 4 years on 7 January, 2013. In the simultaneously held Parliamentary elections, the ruling NDC won 148 seats while the main Opposition National Patriotic Party (NPP) won 123 seats. Currently the party- wise representation in the Parliament is: NDC (Ruling party) 150, NPP (main opposition party) 120, PNC-01, CPP-01 and Independent 03. The NPP flag bearer Nana Akufo-Addo along with his running mate Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, and NPP Chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey have challenged the results of the 2012 Presidential elections. They have petitioned the Supreme Court to cancel the election results declared by the Electoral Commission on the ground that 4.3 million votes were improperly cast. However, lawyers for the President, NDC and the Electoral Commission (respondents) have argued that the petitioners have made up the evidence and hence the petition should be quashed. The matter is sub-judice. Commercial relations: Ghana was included as one of the nine West African countries under the GOI’s TEAM 9 initiative launched in 2004. In recent years, India-Ghana relations have been enriched by enhanced South-South cooperation efforts between the two countries. India has been participating in Ghana’s development by providing assistance in setting up projects through provision of Lines of Credit and grants. So far, Government of India has extended Lines of Credit amounting to US$ 228.73 million to Government of Ghana for various developmental projects being undertaken by the latter. Some of the projects have been completed while quite a few are in various stages of implementation. Amongst the recent projects are the India-Ghana Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence for ICT; the Flag Staff House; the Pan African E-Network Project and Rural Electrification Project. Other projects which are in the pipeline are in diverse sectors, inter alia, fisheries, waste management, railway equipment, agro-processing, fire-tenders. Ghana has also been a participant in India's contribution to the human resource development in developing countries through programmes such as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC). Under the ITEC programme, Ghana utilized 139 ITEC slots in the FY 2012-13 (against 150 slots allotted) and 77 slots under various other schemes, including ICCR scholarships and capacity building courses offered by IIFT and IAFS Plan of Action. For the FY 2013-14, Ghana has been allotted 150 slots under the ITEC scheme. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 6 July, 2010 between India and Ghana for the setting up a US$ 1.2 billion Joint Venture Fertilizer Project using gas to manufacture fertilizer. Recently a high level fertilizer delegation, led by Mr. Sudhir Mital, Secretary (Fertilizer), visited Ghana on 23-28 June, 2013 for further discussions on the project. A MoU on GOI’s financial and technical assistance of Rs. 38.53 million (US$ 0.86 million approx.) to the India-Ghana Kofi Annan Center for Excellence in IT was signed on 30.