945K. 541/2–551: Airgram
The Secretary of State to the Consulate at Accra 1
A–30. Reference Consulate’s despatch No. 206, February 5, 1951.2 ECA London has evaluated a preliminary list of projects submitted by the Colonial Office as illustrative of the types for which assistance is desired. The list included the following two Gold Coast projects: (1) A request for $7,000,000 ECA assistance for the building of roads and a new port and (2) an application for $3,000,000 for building a railroad extension from Awaso in the direction of Berekum.
ECA London has given top priority to the first project but indicated that support would be contingent very largely on whether the proposed new aluminum industry is established on the Volta River. ECA considers that the second project falls into a lower priority group for which information will have to be developed in greater detail by the Colonial Office before a final determination can be made.3
In order to allocate funds remaining in the Overseas Development Pool, ECA would be receptive to projects falling within the limits of the criteria established for the Overseas Territories. The Colonial Office is the required channel for the submission of such projects, which must be fully documented to qualify for favorable consideration.
- This airgram, which was repeated to the Consulate General at Lagos, Nigeria, was drafted by J. W. McBride (NEA/AF), was cleared by ECA, and was signed by Bourgerie (NEA/AF).↩
- Not printed.↩
- Airgram A–34, March 5, to Accra, reported that the British Colonial Office had decided not to include the $7 million item for roads and a new harbor in the list of projects for priority consideration in view of the unsettled political situation in the Gold Coast. The latest listing of ECA projects on which the Colonial Office agreed included $3 million for enlargement of the Takoradi harbor and $1.1 million for improvement of the Achiasi–Newasan railroad. (945K.541/3–551)↩