‘China is here to stay; whether we like it or not’ – Ambassador Demuyakor to Ghanaians

Amidst assertions by some Ghanaians that the Chinese have taken over the country and are gradually destroying the natural reserves, the former Ghana Ambassador to China, Anani Okuminyi Demuyakor, has squashed those claims.

According to him, Ghanaians need to erase the negative perceptions they have about the Chinese as “China is here to stay”.

Addressing journalists at the Africa/Ghana-China relations training on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, Ambassador Demuyakor said it is about time Ghanaians are educated about China and the benefits Ghana can enjoy as trade partners.

“China is here to stay. China is rising whether we like it or not, so let’s try and educate our people about China… China is a must-go place. The situation is that I don’t think you can discard it,” he pointed out whiles addressing the press.

In 2021, the bilateral trade volume between Ghana and China skyrocketed to US$ 9.57 billion from US$ 6.67 billion recorded in 2017.

Also, China’s direct investment in Ghana increased by US$15 million, making Ghana, China’s largest trading partner in Africa.

This bilateral trade was built on mutual trust for the development of the nation.

The construction of roads, among other infrastructure were some of the projects Ghana has benefited from the Chinese companies; both private and state-owned.

Meanwhile, Ghana has two Confucius Institutes that train students in Chinese and subsequently fly them to China to further their education for free.