The Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin has commended the Vanuatu Trade Commissioner to Ghana, Amb. Prof Hugh Aryee, for linking up the Republic of Vanuatu to Ghana and Africa, and ensuring the country opens business interests in the Vanuatu economy towards African trade facilitation.

The Rt. Honourable Speaker emphasized on how the world has become a global village and for that matter, the distance between countries no longer matter, hence, the extreme need to get some of the smaller nations at the outermost parts of the world to be linked to the advanced and other nations for bilateral trade engagements.

The Rt. Hon. Speaker said this when he received the Vanuatu Trade Commissioner to Ghana, Amb. Prof Hugh Aryee and his team to the Parliament House in Accra.

The visit was to officially inform the Speaker about the impending visit of the Speaker of the Vanuatu Parliament and his 5-member delegation on an official state visit to Ghana in July 2023.

The Trade Commissioner also briefed the Speaker and his staff about the extent of plans and the itinerary for the august visit as regards the important places and personalities the august visitors might want to visit when in Ghana.

He informed the Rt Hon Speaker and his team of the reciprocal return business trip to Vanuatu which has been slated from 20th August to 4th September. The business trade mission will include a cross section of the Ghanaian public, businesses and trade agencies interested in doing business in the Republic of Vanuatu as well as leisure and holidays.

Rt Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin told the gathering that he was very happy about the visit and reiterated the desire of entire House would be looking forward to the trade and business mission.

The Rt. Hon speaker also mentioned he was excited about this news because he had always wanted to visit Vanuatu in the past, hence, a pleasant news and therefore encouraged Ghanaians to take advantage of this opportunity.

He said the Parliament of Ghana is ready to receive his counterparts and the delegation from the Republic of Vanuatu, accord them all the necessary courtesies and protocols they deserve. He said he will confer with the leadership of the House to afford the visiting Speaker the opportunity to address the House.

He called for the constitution of a joint Committee of his Parliamentary staff and the Trade Commission to come out with a befitting plan of action for the historic visit being the first official visit of government delegation from the Republic of Vanuatu to Ghana.

The delegation would be accompanied by Hon Seremaiah Matai Nawalu Member of parliament and Minister of Trade, Industry, Tourism and Ni-Vanuatu Businesses, Hon Anatole Hymak Member of Parliament, Chairman of Economics and Foreign Policies Standing Committees of Vanuatu Parliament, Mr. Noel Kalo, Director of Department of Trade and Mr. Gaetan Ruru who oversees Interparliamentary Relations of the office of the parliament of Vanuatu and Ms. Vanessa MOLISA - Advisor to the Office of Speaker.

The Trade Commissioner presented a picturesque brochure which details the blueprint of activities of the Vanuatu Trade Commission’s (short, medium to long term) goals and objectives for Ghana and the rest West African regional bloc under which the mandates of the commission operate, as well as Vanuatu vehicle Stickers, presented to the Rt Hon Speaker.