German Cooperation Minister visits Offinso
The German Minister for Cooperation and Development of the Land North Rhina Westphelia Government, a regional government in Germany, Franz-Joseph Lersch-Mense, has paid a day's visit to Offinso to strengthen ties with the Offinso-Monchengladbach Cooperation for Development, a non-governmental organisation.
The visit was also for the minister to acquaint himself with progress of some projects initiated through development partnership in the Offinso Municipality in the Ashanti Region.
He had been in Ghana to sign a partnership agreement with the Ghana Government on behalf of the German government and used the opportunity to visit Cape Coast in the Central Region and Offinso in the Ashanti Region.
Both Offinso and Cape Coast have development partnerships with the cities of Monchengladbach and Bonn in Germany respectively.
Courtesy call
The minister and his delegation, led by the Official in Charge, Ms Saline Raddatz, paid a courtesy call on the Offinsohene, Nana Wiafe Akenteng III, at his palace at Offinso.
Mr Lersch-Mense said the relationship that existed between the two cities in Germany and the two in Ghana was important, hence the need to be in Offinso to acquaint himself with progress of work.
The Offinsohene, after welcoming the minister and his entourage, thanked them for the honour done him and the entire Offinsoman for the partnership.
He asked the minister for help to build a functional stadium for Offinsoman to boost development in the area.
Visit to project sites
The Ghana President of the Offinso-Monchengladbach Cooperation for Development who doubles as Offinso Mpehihene, Nana Sir Osei Sarpong, took the minister and his entourage to Koforidua in the Offinso Municipality to inspect completed water projects that were supported by the partnership.
He informed the visitors that two boreholes had been drilled to provide potable water for the people of the area.
Nana Sarpong also took the team to inspect the completed Koforidua Oil Mill and completed computer laboratory for the Koforidua MA Primary and Junior High School.
The Headmistress of the school, Sister Steve Marriette Amponsah, led the team to also inspect a kitchen under construction for the school to enhance teaching and learning.
Nana Sarpong took the team to the office of the Offinso Municipal Assembly where the Chief Executive, Haruna Yussif, introduced the municipal coordinating director and heads of departments to the guests and asked the minister to continue to strengthen ties with the assembly for the benefit of the two communities.