Hundreds of Ghanaians yesterday thronged the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to welcome President John Atta Mills from his four-day state visit to Japan. This was an apparent recognition of the fruitful dividends his visit had yielded, which will bring huge financial returns and direct investment into the economy. The large crowd, waving miniature flags of Ghana and placards with various inscriptions in praise of the President, burst into hilarious joy when the plane carrying him touched down at the Kotoka International Airport, a few minutes after noon. Some of the inscriptions read: "Mills's style of governance brings billions for Ghana's development", "Akwaaba Oman Bapa, Prez Mills" , " This is proper leadership; one trip brings $16 billion", " China/Japan confident in Prez Mills" and "This is not salon money". The President, after acknowledging cheers from the enthusiastic crowd, shook hands with the Vice-President, John Dramani Mahama, and some ministers who were at the airport to welcome him. Speaking to journalists at the KIA, President Mills described the trip as "very successful" as leaders of both China and Japan expressed their commitment to invest in "our economy". He expressed his gratitude to the Presidents of China and Japan, their governments and people for their willingness to help Ghana. Last month, President Mills embarked on a trip to China and Japan. After completing the tour of China, he returned to Ghana to take part in a national census exercise, before enplaning back to Japan. In both China and Japan the President struck deals with his counterparts under which billions of dollars will be invested in Ghana's economy, particularly in infrastructural development, health and energy. President Mills's major success story in China was a deal in which China agreed to invest $3 billion in the oil sector under the comprehensive finance project facility earmarked for the development of infrastructure, as well as upstream, midstream and downstream initiatives in the country's oil and gas sector. Describing the facility as the phase one of many facilities, China has decided to activate "an open-ended clause in the agreement and allow for more support worth millions of dollars". During bilateral talks between President Mills and his Chinese counterpart, China agreed on a 100-million Yuan grant facility and also donated medical equipment in support of the fight against malaria. It also offered a $250 million buyers credit to support the Kpong Water Works to ensure the supply of clean and potable water for communities in the country. Additionally, Ghana and China signed a $150-million memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the e-Governance project while both leaders agreed to forge a new partnership for mutual advancement of the two nations. In the case of President Mills's trip to Japan, the Japanese government also offered the needed assistance for the construction of the Eastern corridor highway to link Hohoe in the Volta Region to Kulugungu in the Upper East Region. The deal was the highlight of a new chapter in the Ghana-Japan relations to forge a new partnership, particularly in the areas of infrastructural expansion and job creation. The assistance will also cover the Kpando-Dambai, Salaga-Bimbilla and Gushegu-Karaga to Yendi link roads. Additionally, Japan decided to reconstruct the Yamoransa Junction-Bekwai road and also build a bridge to connect Assin Praso to Assin Adanse in the Central Region. President Mills also made a case for Japan to help Ghana to develop the sheanut industry in the Northern Region. Source: Daily Graphic