Ghana's energy supply will soon receive a boost following a decision by three Brazilian companies to invest in the rivers Oti and Suri mini-hydro projects. At a meeting between the govern­ment and a high-powered Brazilian trade delegation in Accra, the two par­ties resolved to clear all outstanding issues surrounding the project to allow work to begin immediately. Welcoming the 100-man Brazilian trade delegation to the Castle, Osu, the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, said, "We are in the process of resolving the issues surrounding the project so that we can have work to begin immediately." He acknowledged the political, eco­nomic and social partnership between the two countries, saying, "We have a history of partnership which we have to develop for the benefit of our peoples." The Brazilian team, which includes 80 entrepreneurs from different sectors of the Brazilian economy, such as food and beverages, civil engineering, defence, energy, equipment, among others, will explore areas of co-opera­tion with their Ghanaian counterparts. The initiative is a direct effort by the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, to bring Brazil and Africa closer to foster increased co-operation between the two regions and promote their sustainable development. Mr Mahama said Ghana had witnessed an increase in trade between the two countries but said the trade "is imbalanced in favour of Brazil and this is what we want to balance". He emphasised the government's priority attention on agriculture and announced that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture was in the process to acquiring 200 tractors to boost the country's agricultural projects. He also hinted about the govern­ment's determination to. extend its co­operation with Brazil into military affairs, citing the peace missions the country had engaged in ·across the world. The Vice-President said co-opera­tion in that respect had become neces­sary in view of the oil find i!1 the coun­try, stressing, "We need to secure our coastline and also address illegal fish­ing in our waters." Brazil is the largest nation in South America, with a per capita of income of $970, a real growth of 5.4 per cent, with inflation at 3.6 per cent. On March 27, this year, Ghana's Produce Buying Company (PBC) signed a memorandum of understand­ing with Erickson Ferrer da Rosa on behalf of Sysgate Brazil Ltd to set out the terms and conditions for the pro­cessing of shea-nut into shea-butter for export to Brazil. Ghana stands to· benefit from Brazil's rapid technological develop­ment in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture and manufacturing. Source: Daily Graphic