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Apr 12, 2010 Brazil To Assist Ghana Acquire Jet
The Brazilian government is extending a credit facility to Ghana to acquire a jet for the Ghana Air Force to facilitate its operations.
The 90-seater plane, known as ERJI90, is being manufactured by Brazilian Aeronautics Company Inc. (Embraer), a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate. This came to light when vice-president Hon. John Dramani Mahama, who is currently on a visit to Brazil, toured the production facilities and engineering/design offices of Embraer in Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo. The Vice President said the final agreement for the purchase of the aircraft was subject to Parliamentary approval. According to him, the Ghana Air force had already sent a technical team to Embraer to sort out a 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 just to finalise the political aspect and it will go to Parliament. Once Parliament approves it, the contract is signed”, the Vice President indicated. Even though Hon. Mahama did not disclose the amount of money involved, he mentioned that it was a “Brazilian Exim Bank facility and it is payable in about 10 years at 2.5 per cent interest with two years’ grace period. It is one of the lowest interest rates”. He praised the company for fast-tracking the contract to enable Ghana to acquire the aircraft in 10 months instead of the normal 24 months’ period because of the good relationship existing between Ghana and Brazil. The Vice-President said the decision to acquire the aircraft for the military was to give it 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. Hon. Mahama, who was accompanied by Hon. Kwesi Ahwoi, the Minister of Agriculture, and Hon. Seth Terper, a Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, appealed to Embraer to set up a mechanized facility to help maintain the aircraft by the Ghana Armed Forces. On other areas of investment, Vice President Mahama explained that he was in Brazil to explore avenues for attracting Brazilian investors for social and infrastructural development. He said his delegation had held a meeting with Brazilian officials on the construction of another hydro-electric project at Juale on the Oti River. “Brazil has approved it but there are few stumbling blocks we need to clear so that that project can add another 100 megawatts of hydro-electric power to our generation”, Hon. Mahama stated. He said the delegation was also exploring the possibility of establishing a cashew processing facility to give ready market to cashew farmers in Ghana, particularly those in the Brong Ahafo Region and the 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”, Hon. Mahama stressed. Source: Daily Graphic
The chairman of the Brazil-Ghana Commercial and Cultural association Mr. Roger tuffi Kalaun has welcomed this big step “one more step moving forward in the relation between Brazil and Ghana “
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Trade and Investments
Brazil is one of the 30 major exporters in the world. It sells diversified products in many different markets, leading among them the United States and European Union, which, together buy 50% of Brazilian exports. Brazil meanwhile has intensified its commercial relations with South America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Brazil-Ghana Bilateral Trade Amongst the 53 African countries, Ghana has been a major importer of Brazilian products. It was the seventh major buyer of Brazilian products by February 2008, behind only Nigeria, South Africa, Angola, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco.
(Source: Brazilian Embassy— Accra )
Investment in Ghana
Brazil-Ghana Commercial and Cultural Association, (BGCCA) have the interest to promote investment in Ghana in the Agriculture and Manufacturing Section, the association has also associated many importers and Exporters of different products from and to Ghana. Our investment studies department is ready to give all the assistance needed in the investment area from A to Z to establish a business in Ghana. We are also associated with the Intercontinental Bank which will give all the financing assistance for your business under their terms and conditions. All the interested companies to invest in Ghana must contact us on the following e-mail:
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