The Government of Ghana has named a 0.9km road in the capital, Accra after a Japanese Scientist, Dr. Hideyo Noguchi.
It is the second monument to be named after the celebrated Japanese Bacteriologist, after the country’s foremost Scientific Research Institution based at the University of Ghana, Legon, was named after him in 1979 when it was established.
The decision for the latest honour, according to a Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Mohammad Habibu Tijani, is in further recognition of the significant role played by Dr. Noguchi in advancing Scientific and Health Research dating back to the 1920’s, when Ghana was then known as the Gold Coast.
On behalf of Government of Ghana, the Hon. Deputy Minister expressed gratitude to Japan for its friendship, noting that the country had been supportive of Ghana in almost all sectors of the economy, particularly in health, agriculture, education, energy, finance and infrastructural development.
In 1911, Dr. Noguchi discovered the agent of Syphilis as the cause of progressive paralytic disease. He researched into Yellow Fever in Ghana and died from the disease in the country in 1928.
The Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, Mr. Tsutomi Himeno, told the brief ceremony that his Government was pleased with the show of strong bonds between his country and Ghana and welcomed the decision by the Ghanaian authorities to name the stretch of road after their citizen.
“This Dr.Hideyo Noguchi Street will continue to deepen and affirm the strong bond of friendship between my country Japan and the Republic of Ghana”, the Ambassador said.
The Dr. Hideyo Noguchi Street starts from the switch back road to the Japan Embassy and links to the next junction close to the Police Headquarters.
The 0.9km street, 8.5metres in width is one of the colonial roads that was reconstructed in 2015. It was funded by the Government of Ghana at a cost of 940,000 Ghana Cedis.
