French President Francois Hollande has lauded President John Mahama for his role in ensuring stability in the West African sub region during his tenure as Chair of ECOWAS.
In a meeting Monday morning at the Elysee Palace in Paris, President Hollande referred to the current political crisis in Burkina Faso which started last year and recurred September this year, and the leadership role of President Mahama that ensured a peaceful and smooth management of the two situations.
As Chair of ECOWAS, President Mahama also brought the Group’s influence to bear on the elections in Nigeria and Togo, ahead of his handing over to Senegal’s Macky Sall.
President Mahama’s role in the sub region’s management of the Ebola outbreak and his involvement in ensuring maritime security along the Gulf of Guinea also came up for mention.
The two leaders who were meeting for the second time also discussed the security situation in the West African sub region, the Economic Partnership Agreement and French support for development projects in Ghana.
France has meanwhile agreed to provide through the French Development Agency (AfD) a €37.50 million financing for the second phase of the Kumasi Roads and Drainage Extension Project. This involves the construction of the Lake Road/ Oforikrom bypass and the Aboabo drainage works.
President Mahama expressed appreciation to President Hollande for his support during the Ebola outbreak and France’s role in stabilising the situation in Mali and other parts of the subregion.
He also thank France for agreeing to support the training of teachers in the teaching and learning of French in Ghanaian schools.
The President later in a Facebook post described the France’s gesture as good news, saying “These are good news for Ghana! As your President, I pledge to all of you that developing Ghana will always be my first and foremost priority”.
By 3news.com|Ghana