L-R: Kwara State Deputy Governor, Kayode Alabi; Representative of the President of Ghana and Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah; and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; during a courtesy visit to the Ahmadu Bello House, Ilorin.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has sought Ghana’s support for the development of the state’s cocoa industry, particularly in production, processing and management, citing the country’s experience as one of the world’s leading cocoa producers.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday, the governor made the request on Monday while receiving Ghanaian President John Mahama, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, during a courtesy visit to the Government House in Ilorin, the state capital.
Speaking at the reception, AbdulRazaq said Kwara was among Nigeria’s cocoa-producing states and could benefit from Ghana’s expertise in sustaining and expanding its cocoa industry.
He also called for stronger economic cooperation between Nigeria and Ghana, arguing that improved bilateral trade would promote industrial development, create jobs and accelerate regional integration.
“We need to move from political discussions to stronger economic ties, developing Africa, especially with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement being in place.
“We need to ease border restrictions for movement of goods and services, trade, manufacturing, increase our GDP, and create more jobs within West Africa,” he added.
The governor also advocated the establishment of a common currency for the British West African sub-region, similar to the currency arrangement among French-speaking West African countries.
He called for a clear timeline for implementing the proposed single currency, describing it as a potential milestone in efforts to deepen economic integration across the region.
AbdulRazaq further identified the Trans-West African Highway and the Abidjan-Lagos Coastal Road as major infrastructure projects that could improve regional connectivity and facilitate trade among West African countries.
Responding, Mahama, through his Chief of Staff, supported calls for stronger economic relations between Nigeria and Ghana, saying cooperation should extend beyond the political framework of the Economic Community of West African States.
He also called for improved trade between the two countries, citing the role of the African Continental Free Trade Area, whose secretariat is based in Accra, Ghana.
“As the governor stated, ECOWAS, for instance, has been more of a political arrangement, but he said we can deepen it by considering bilateral trade arrangements between our two countries.
“And we also believe that since the Inter-African Continental Free Trade is based in Accra, we should also make sure that trade between our two countries improves,” the Ghanaian President said.
Other members of the Ghanaian delegation included the country’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Baba Abu; the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority, Simon Madjie; and the Head of Political and Economic Affairs at the High Commission, Dr Tenewa Asamoah.