On behalf of the government and people of Ghana, I am delighted and honoured to welcome you and your delegation to our shores for this short but memorable visit which is an affirmation of the goodwill and bonds of co-operation between our two governments and countries.
 
We note with great admiration your commitment to the respect of human rights, democracy and good governance, as well as your humanitarian support for the drive towards poverty alleviation.  We recognize also your exemplary dedication to the fight against diseases like malaria and the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
 
This morning, in the Castle Gardens, you launched a historic US$350 million five-year initiative, to fight neglected tropical diseases, including river blindness.  Again, you announced a further donation of US$17 million to be invested in the control of malaria annually for three consecutive years.  Ghana is indeed, very appreciative of this generous gesture.
 
The nation’s admiration extends also to your gracious wife, Mrs Laura Bush, who is commended highly for sharing your determination to help eradicate illiteracy on our continent.  She has indeed visited Ghana once in pursuance of this mission.
 
Mr President, the various concerns you have articulated during your Presidency provide a reliable platform for securing peaceful and orderly development anywhere, but more so in the developing world.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, I must seize this opportunity to acknowledge the leading role of President George Bush in the decision by the G8 to cancel the $40 billion debt owed by the poor countries of the world to the World Bank, IMF and other multi-lateral international lenders.  A large part of Ghana’s external debt was cancelled as a result of this decision.
 
Mr President, Africa salutes you for these gestures of goodwill that are impacting the lives of many ordinary persons on the continent for the better.
 
Here in Ghana, we appreciate the assistance of the United States in the establishment of strong and viable democratic institutions to engender fair elections, the rule of law and respect for political and economic rights of all Ghanaians.
 
Ghana is among the first set of beneficiaries of the Millennium Challenge Account, initiated by you personally, to provide greater resources to African nations that strive to uphold good governance while also promoting economic freedom.  By this policy, Ghana is benefiting from a grant of over US$547 million to modernize her agriculture.
 
Our country is also signatory to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows export of over 6,000 commodities, both duty and quota free to the US market.
 
We welcome your recent facilitating measures to promote the setting up of private equity funds through the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).  We have no doubt that these far-reaching measures will accelerate economic growth to change the fortunes of our continent and help bring the much needed relief and employment to millions of ordinary citizens of Africa.
 
Perhaps the combination of this policy with the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) will help us to tackle the supply side handicap which has hitherto prevented us from enjoying the full benefits of this policy.
 
Mr President, this is no doubt a good opportunity for me to enlist your resolve to commit to the successful completion of the DHOHA trade negotiations, including development arrangements for the Third World countries.  I should appeal to the US government to adjust its policies to accommodate the realistic pleas of cotton producing nations of West Africa for many of whom the crop is the mainstay of their economies.
 
Mr President, Ghana unreservedly condemns terrorism and its spread around the world.  In particular, we appreciate your leadership stance since the September 11 event which claimed the lives of many, including some Ghanaians who were going about their legitimate pursuits peacefully in New York.  That event established beyond doubt that necessity for humanity as a whole to reject all forms of extremism and intolerance in favour of dialogue and constructive engagement in resolving the myriads of problems confronting the world today.
 
In this regard, my government has always supported dialogue for resolving all problems on the Continent particularly Darfur, Somalia and most recently, Kenya and Chad.  We welcome the assistance which the US is offering through the UN and the African Union in the search for solutions to these conflicts.
 
Mr President, let me once again extend our nation’s warm sentiments to you and your entourage on this short but much appreciated visit.  We would have preferred to show you many physical manifestations of the contributions which the US, especially under your leadership, has been making towards the development of our country.  Given the limitation of time, however, this has not been possible.  In particular, it had been hoped that you would drive on the 14 kilometre Mallam-Tetteh Quarhie Road, currently one of the busiest in the city, which is to be reconstructed into a first class six-lane dual carriage road to ease heavy traffic and also support timeously, bulk haulage of agricultural produce to the port.  The project is being undertaken with USD101 million of the Millennium Challenge Account.
 
Mr President, in appreciation of your many kind gestures towards Ghana and other parts of Africa, and to immortalize your goodwill to us, my government has decided to name this very strategic road after you.  Henceforth, it will be called the George Bush Motorway.
 
Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, may I now kindly request all of you to be upstanding, raise your glasses and drink a toast to the continued well-being and success of President and Mrs. Laura Bush.