Economic Community for West Africa (ECOWAS) Bank for Investment and Development has announced that it has invested over $300-million into Ghana’s economy.
Areas of investment, the bank said included, Energy, Trade, Technology, Tourism and hospitality industry.
The President of the Bank, Dr George Nana Agyekum Donkor, disclosed this when he and other staff of the bank paid a courtesy call on Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah at his office in Accra on Monday.
The meeting was to afford the bank to discuss with Ghana’s Judiciary matters of mutual interest.
Dr Donkor says the bank is currently providing electricity to 114 communities in Ashanti and Bono Regions.
The bank is also constructing an ultra-modern hospital in Bekwai in the Ashanti Region and a shopping mall in Kumasi,
Dr Donkor, who had also worked with the bench and left in 2003, said he was elated to have returned to Ghana to hold discussions with Ghana’s Judiciary.
“We are here to meet the judiciary to see how best we could be of use to them in their operations, especially in the training of judges and staff in the area of Information Communication and Technology (ICT). The bank is ready to collaborate with the judiciary in the areas of mutual interest,” he added.
According to him, the bank has over the years followed the development in the judiciary, adding that the judiciary was key to the progress of every nation.
“If the judiciary does well, we will also do well”, he added.
Dr Donkor said as a matter of urgency, the Bank will be lending support for the training of Judges and staff.
Chief Justice Yeboah appealed to the bank to assist the judiciary to build its Judicial Training Institute.
According to him, a land has been acquired but the judiciary’s challenge has been with funding of the project.
“Our problem has to do with financing. It has not been easy securing funding for the project look at our budgetary allocation. The judiciary is a non-profit making institution. We would have gone far but for the money. We need about $50 million for the construction of the institute.”
Chief Justice Yeboah said the Indian High Commission had promised to provide the judiciary library with over 50,000 books.
According to him, the training institute is crucial in the training of judges and supporting staff, adding “we need to be abreast with Technology now.”
The bank is made up of 15-member states and is located in Togo.
