01-08-08 President J.A. Kufuor has indicated Ghana’s willingness to tap the rich experience of Trinidad and Tobago in the petroleum industry for the development of her emerging oil industry. He has also underlined the need for Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago to develop ties between their educational and research institutions to enhance their co-operation and for their mutual benefit.
Addressing the eighth annual Emancipation and Awards Dinner hosted by the National Association for the Empowerment of African People (NAEAP) at the Centre of Excellence at Macoya, Port of Spain, President Kufuor underscored the need for greater ties and economic co-operation between the two countries. The Ghanaian President arrived in the Caribbean country to join the people in the celebration of the annual event.

Trinidad is a leading producer of oil in the Caribbean with oil and gas accounting for 40 % of its Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and 80 % of its exports. In 2003 its GDP was $ 10.5 bn and per capita income of $ 7,380.
President Kufuor said a way should be found to engage the technical experts of the two countries who were scattered all over the world in resolving the challenges that confronted them. Inter-dependence in today’s world, he said, was critical in overcoming the challenges which even threatened to undermine the modest progress achieved so far by, particularly, developing countries.

He said Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago were united by a deep, though tragic, history of slavery, and recognised the fact that Ghana’s political development had been influenced greatly by great men in the Caribbean such as George Padmore. He said although slavery was sad, the survival of Africans in that tragic experience was a pointer to their resilience, noting that “even as we celebrate the Emancipation Day with culture and dance, let us resolve to make what was once a tragedy a force for development”.
Prime Minister Manning recognised the pioneering role Ghana had played in the struggle for independence in Africa and paid glowing tribute to the leadership qualities of President Kufuor. He said in view of his leadership qualities, the African Union unanimously elected him as its chairman in 2007 at a time that the union needed a leader who could interact with other leaders across board.

The President of NAEAP, Professor Selwyn Cudjoe, who traces his ancestry to Ghana, asked the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago to address the concerns and development challenges of the black people in that country.
“The state of Black Trinidad and Tobago is not as healthy as it ought to be,” he said, adding that ”when African people elect a black government to conduct its affairs it expects its chief function to take care of their affairs”.
Blacks constitute about 40 % of the population of Trinidad and Tobago while people of Indian decent also account for 40 %. The remaining 20 % of the country’s 1.2 mm people is made up of a mixed race of Chinese, Europeans and Arabs.

Earlier, the president was met on his arrival at the Piarco International Airport by the first couple, cabinet ministers and members of the diplomatic corps. Shortly after exchanging greetings with the welcoming party, President Kufuor mounted the dais for the national anthems of Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago to be played against the backdrop of a 21-gun salute.
Thereafter, the visiting President inspected a guard of honour which was mounted by the military before being introduced to the cabinet ministers and the members of the diplomatic corps. The Ghanaian President and his entourage which included the Tourism Minister, Mrs Oboshi Sai Coffie, and senior officials at the Presidency, were later treated to aspects of music and dance as well as the culture of the people of Trinidad and Tobago at the airport before being driven through some of the principal streets of the capital.

Emancipation Day is widely celebrated in the Caribbean during the first week of August to mark the abolition of slavery in the British Empire and full freedom of slaves from working on plantations of their colonial masters on August 1, 1834. Trinidad and Tobago was the first country in the world to declare a national holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery, and this year it is marking the event with a cultural explosion and public lectures on the theme: "Crossing new frontiers to conquer today's challenges".
The visit of President Kufuor to Trinidad and Tobago was at the invitation of the leadership of that country. Every year one African leader is elected to be the special guest of honour for the event and this year the lot fell on President Kufuor. President Kufuor is expected to hold bilateral talks with the Prime Minister, Mr Manning, on issues of mutual interest and revive economic co-operation between Ghana and the Caribbean country.