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GV PAN "Ghana Republic" school with children lined up outside
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SV & CU Dr. Busia and party look at school sign and they walk past (3 shots)
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CU Children applaud as Minister of Education speaks (4 shots)
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MV Busia looks at youths dancing (3 shots)
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CU Girls lined up in front of Busia and party at table (3 shots)
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SCU Busia and party distributed fruit and sweets to children.
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Prime Minister of Ghana, Doctor Kofi Busia, visited a school which has been given the name of "The Republic of Ghana" in the village of Atzcapotzalco, near Mexico City on Monday (8 November).

Dr. Busia, who left Mexico for London on Tuesday (9 November) after a five day official visit, was the first African Head of State to go to Mexico. He spent six months there as a lecturer in 1962 while in exile from the former ousted regime of President Kwame Nkrumah.

A communique issued at the end of Dr. Busia's visit stated that Ghana and Mexico had agreed to strengthen trade and cultural relations.

SYNOPSIS: Ghanaian Prime Minister, Doctor Kofi Busia, visited a school near Mexico City on Monday. The school, named "The Republic of Ghana", was built after Doctor Busia, in honour of his contribution to Mexico as a teacher. He spent six months there in 1962 while in exile from the now ousted Government of President Kwame Nkrumah. Doctor Busia was accompanied by Finance Minister Mr. Mensah and by Foreign Minister William Ofori-Atta. The Mexican minister of Education, Senor Victor Bravo Ahuja, also accompanied the Ghanaian Prime Minister on his visit to the school.

The Ghanaian Prime Minister was to leave Mexico for London the following day. A joint communique issued later said that Ghana and Mexico had agreed to strengthen trade and cultural relations. The communique said Doctor Busia and Mexico's President Luis Echeverria, with whom the Ghanaian leader had two meetings, had 'expressed their satisfaction at the cordiality which characterises the relationship between Mexico and Ghana and their desire to strengthen and broaden the state of friendship.' It added that Doctor Busia had stated that an educational institution in Ghana would be called the 'School of the Republic of Mexico' in return for the compliment the Mexican authorities had shown in naming their school after his country.

During his Mexican stay, Doctor Busia had been made an honorary citizen of Mexico City, visited several tourist sites and had attended ceremonies in his honour given by various Mexican authorities. It was the first ever visit to Mexico by an African Head of State, and reports said that an invitation has been extended to President Echeverria to visit Ghana soon.