China to help Ghana construct $1 bln plant

Li Hejun, Chairman and CEO of Hanergy Holding Group Limited, speaks at a press conference during the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2013 in Qionghai city, South China's Hainan province, April 7, 2013. [Photo/IC]

ACCRA - The Chinese Hanergy Group is investing $1 billion to construct a 400-megawatt (MW) solar power plant to help boost Ghana's energy needs, Zhou Youbin, Charge d'Affaires at the Chinese Embassy, said here Thursday.

Zhou, who was speaking at a day's natural resource conference, said: "China, as a traditional friend and an important development partner over the years, has spared no efforts in supporting the development and construction of Ghana."

The conference was on the theme "Natural Resource Governance and Management in Ghana: The Stride Towards an Efficient use of our Natural Resources".

Zhou listed numerous projects the Chinese government had undertaken in Ghana such as the western corridor gas infrastructure development project, construction of the 400- megawatts Bui Dam, and the Kpong Water Supply Expansion Project.

He emphasized that the Chinese government would continue to build on the capacities of local people in the area of natural resources management.

To this end, he said some 300,000 African professionals were being trained under the African Talents Program in various sectors.

China, he noted, became the biggest investor in the past year in the cocoa, gold oil producing West African country's economy.

"In 2014, statistics about China-Ghana cooperation is inspiring. Ghana's export to China and Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows to Ghana has both surpassed $1 billion, making China the biggest investor of Ghana in the past year," he said.