Nii Martey M. Botchway
Accra, July 5, GNA – The United States (US) Embassy in Accra Tuesday held a ceremony to commemorate the 247th Independence Day celebration of the US.
The event, first in person since COVID-19 struck, brought together hundreds of dignitaries, including Government officials, public figures, traditional and religious leaders, and members of the diplomatic corps.
Mrs Virginia E. Palmer, the US Ambassador to Ghana, in a speech, reiterated the US’s commitment to ties with Ghana, saying her country had concluded work on a $390 million Millennium Challenge compact, which built power infrastructure that would make major contributions to Ghana’s economic growth.
Emphasising the depth of the long standing security partnership between both countries, the US Ambassador indicated that Ghana and the United States hosted Flintlock, a major military exercise that involved 29 nation militaries, and said the US would soon be commissioning two ships and handing over pier equipment worth millions of dollars to the special boat squadron.
“We are not just celebrating America’s independence, but the ties that bind the United States in Ghana,” she stated.
The Ambassador acknowledged the economic hardship facing Ghana and commended the Minister of Finance for securing the International Monetary Fund deal, and urged him to work hard at recovering the economy, assuring that the US government, companies and people stood by Ghana.
Mrs Palmer said Ghana’s independence struggle inspired countless others in their quest for freedom, including the United States, stating that “your example burns bright in a time when there has been much democratic backsliding around the region.”
“Together we draw inspiration from our heroes of the past, activists, innovators, and dreamers, who have pushed boundaries, battled discrimination and changed the course of history,” she added.
Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful, the Minister of Communications, who represented President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, said the friendship between Ghana and the US had grown and evolved over time, expanding into various years of collaboration and cooperation.
She said Ghana, which was journeying towards becoming one of Africa’s shining examples of democracy and good governance, had received strong and sustained support from the United States through various initiatives, including election support through funding, capacity building and civil society engagement.
Touching on economic cooperation between the two countries, Mrs Ekuful noted that the United States had been a significant trade partner for Ghana, contributing to economic growth and job creation.
“I am informed that in 2022, Ghana -US bilateral trade reached $3.7 billion.
“Additionally, the United States supported Ghana with $48 million in security assistance in 2022,” she said.
Mrs Ekuful said the occasion offered a great opportunity to strengthen the bilateral ties between Ghana and the United States, noting that as partners in development, both countries looked for each other’s interests for the benefit of their citizens.
The celebration was laced with music from the US Navy’s Topside brass band and some fireworks brightening the night.
GNA