Ghana appeals for help

Press, 27 June 1983, Page 11

Ghana appeals for help

NZPA-Reuter New York The Ghanaian leader, Flight Lieuntenant Jerry Rawlings, has appealed for foreign help to cope with the deteriorating economic situation in his country. “Our doors are open,” Flight Lieutenant Rawlings said in an interview with C.B.S. television. “Ghana needs help.” He said that he would welcome American or British investment in Ghana’s gold production, but that any aid should not tie his West African country to any specific economic philosophy. “I must admit that things have been very tough over

the last 15 years and have got worse, you know, in terms of the ability of the people to afford the ordinary needs,” he said. “All we have is cocoa — all we have is gold,” Flight Lieutanant Rawlings said. “That which we produce we do not even dictate the price — you (the United States) do.” C.B.S. cited figures showing that production of Ghana’s chief export items had dropped sharply over the years, with cocoa now representing only 30 per cent instead of 75 per cent of world supply, and gold production, once 10 per cent now virtually non-existent.