Accra, Ghana, July 3 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Ghana’s highest national honor, the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, on Wednesday by President John Dramani Mahama, in recognition of his distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement.
Accepting the award on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, Modi dedicated the honor to the aspirations of India’s youth, its cultural traditions and diversity, and the historical ties between Ghana and India. He thanked the people and government of Ghana for the special gesture.
Highlighting the shared democratic values and traditions of the two countries, the prime minister said the award further deepens the friendship between the two nations and places a new responsibility on him to strengthen bilateral ties. He expressed confidence that his historic state visit to Ghana would impart new momentum to India-Ghana relations, the statement added.
Earlier in the day, Modi announced that India would establish a Skill Development Center to train youth and support Ghana’s “Feed Ghana” program as part of a broader plan to strengthen ties.
At a joint press briefing with President Mahama, Modi outlined plans to expand cooperation in agriculture, education, defense, healthcare, and digital payments.
“Today, we have decided to double the ITEC and ICCR scholarships for Ghana. Work will be done to establish a Skill Development Center for vocational education of youth,” he said.
“In the agricultural sector, we would be happy to cooperate with President Mahama’s ‘Feed Ghana’ program. Through Jan Aushadhi Kendra, India proposes to provide affordable, reliable healthcare to the citizens of Ghana. We discussed cooperation in vaccine production,” Modi added.
He also announced India’s goal of doubling trade with Ghana within five years and offering Bharat UPI, India’s digital payments system, to enhance financial connectivity.
President Mahama welcomed Modi earlier in the day and said the visit reflected the long-standing friendship between the two nations.
“This visit is a testament to the deep-rooted historical ties between Ghana and India, founded on the visionary leadership of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and India’s former prime minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as the ever-growing bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between our two sisterly countries for the mutual benefit of our people,” Mahama said.
This marks the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Ghana in over 30 years. The trip is expected to deepen the India-Ghana partnership and signal New Delhi’s continued engagement with Africa and the Global South.
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