World renowned economist, Dr Jeffrey Sachs on Thursday conferred with President John Evans Atta Mills on the proposed development of Accra into a Millennium City. Dr Sachs said the new decade of 2010 was great for Ghana with many opportunities. He pledged the support of Earth Institute of Columbia University in the USA to Ghana to realize those great potentials. Leading a delegation of intellectuals in economics, health and social development to the Castle, Osu, Dr Sachs said, “we want to bring all these talents to support you for the development of Accra and beyond”. The delegation would later visit Kumasi and the Bonsaso Millennium Village Project as part of exchange and inter-connectivity programme between the two nations. Dr Sachs, who is also a Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General commended Ghana’s democracy and poverty reduction programmes and said Accra had the potential of becoming a world city when water supply, connectivity, roads, education and health systems were improved. He said 10 per cent growth rate in the country was achievable, and the time had come to work through the challenges, therefore called for the development of social infrastructure to address challenges that would emanate from the exploitation of Ghana’s oil find. Dr Sachs invited President Mills to participate in the Global Summit to Accelerate Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) this year and expressed confidence that most countries could achieve the MDGs within the remaining five years. The eight MDGs – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV and AIDS and providing universal primary education by 2015 was a blueprint agreed by world leaders and leading development institutions. President Mills accepted the invitation to participate in the Summit and said the only justification for leaders to be in power was to use available resources to improve the living standards of the people. He reiterated Government’s confidence and determination to realise its core development agenda of investing in people, creating jobs, developing the national infrastructure and running an open, honest and transparent government. President Mills thanked authorities of Earth Institute for the project, and gave the assurance that measures had been instituted for efficient use of Ghana’s oil revenue. Nii Armah Ashietey, Greater Accra Regional Minister said “It is time we get people out of poverty” and called for the inclusion of nearby municipalities and districts in the project. Dr Alfred Vanderpuije, the Accra Mayor excited about the project said, “We’ll be with you. We hope we’ll have a greet relationship”. A Ghana Statistical Service report indicates that the population of Accra during the national population census in March 2000 was 1,658,937. The metropolis is faced with challenges such as high population, water, health, sanitation, flooding, but has the potential to become world class metropolis with its tourism, business and centre for business in the West African sub region. The delegation on a five-day visit to Ghana would launch the Accra Millennium City Project on Friday, January 15, 2009, a follow-up to an initial discussion with the Accra Mayor, Dr Vanderpuije in the USA last year. Under the project, infrastructure in some communities such as Chemu Naa, Chorkor, Ga Mashie, Nima and Maamobi would be improved. Source: GNA