President Nana Akufo-Addo has said the Chinese have been of immense help to Ghana’s economy and, so, he sees them as friends irrespective of how the West views the Asian giant.

A recent report by the International Monetary Fund said the Chinese are likely to take hold of Ghana’s resources and power revenue as the West African cocoa-producer has defaulted in paying some $1.9  billion owed the People's Republic of China.

Ghana's total debt to China is in the regions of $5 billion.

Most of it has gone into roads and infrastructure projects.

Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, Mr Akufo-Addo said: "I don’t have any criticisms about Chinese involvement in the Ghanaian economy".

"They [Chinese] have been very helpful", he praised, pointing out: "It’s a matter of controversy in the West".

"For us", the Ghanaian leader noted, "they have been friends, and, in terms of difficulty, they have proven to be a strong partner".