Private sector involvement in Ebola fighting encouraged

Mr Gene A. Cretz, Ambassador of the United States to Ghana, has encouraged early private sector involvement in the fight against the Ebola Viral Disease (EVD).

He said as part of efforts in fighting the disease, a dedicated team from several United States (US) agencies were working with the Ghanaian Government to prepare and plan for possible introduction of Ebola.

He said the team would also reprogram $1.7 million from United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to support the effort.

Mr Cretz said US was also working to improve maternal and newborn survival rates, adding “we are proud that two thousand midwives completed training at U.S. supported institutions”.

Mr Cretz was speaking in Accra on Monday when he met with the press to share perspectives about what the US Embassy had done over the year and preview their activities in the coming year.

He said the embassy’s work focused on five key objectives which are; increasing trade and investment, improving key social development indicators, enhancing good governance practices and greater respect for human rights, contributing to stability, peace and security and protecting US citizens.

There is also the launch of the next chapter of the West African Trade Hub, which worked to boost regional and global trade by improving the capacity of West Africa’s private sector and fostering a business enabling environment.

“Improving key social development indicators such as health and education remained key during the year and am pleased to have been able to travel to the Northern Region and see firsthand how our support reaches some of the country’s rural community-based health planning and service projects,” he said.

He said as agriculture continued to be an important sector of Ghana’s economy, the USAID Feed and Future Initiative was now in full swing where a four million dollar public-private partnership spanning three years with DuPont-Pioneer was launched to increase availability of high quality hybrid maize seed.

According to Mr Cretz, USAID recently awarded 71 million dollars to a partnership for education co-operative agreement which, over the next five years, would improve reading in kindergarten through primary three in Ghana’s public schools.

“We believe that education is enhanced through exchange and are grateful for the contributions that our Peace Corps volunteers make in some of Ghana’s most remote districts

“We also recognise the rich educational environment that Ghana offers Americans and are pleased to note that in the most recently available data, Ghana was the second-leading African country that American students chose for study,” he said.

Moving forward, Mr Cretz the US was looking forward to the completion and dedication of the Marine Police National Training Academy.

“We also look forward to partnering with the private sector to host a regional Tech Camp West Africa, to gather entrepreneurs from seven countries in the region to adapt, empower and measure technology-based solution to local problems,’ he said.

He, however, expressed US continued partnership with Ghana to strengthen governmental institutions and expressed their support with the President’s visit to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance saying IMF would be the important partners in building Ghana’s economy.