ACCRA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Seventy Ghana Customs officers graduated from an eight-week Chinese language proficiency program on Thursday.

They were the first batch of customs officers to take the course provided by the Confucius Institute at the University of Ghana.

"The study of the Chinese language will be of immense benefit to us due to the high number of Chinese travelers our port officials have to deal with as trade and investment relations between Ghana and China continue to flourish," said Habib Osman, sector commander at the headquarters of Ghana Customs.

Osman called for a continuation of the program so that all customs officers in Ghana could acquire basic working knowledge in the Chinese language.

Chen Mingjin, director of the consular and visa session at the Chinese Embassy in Ghana, said Chinese travelers visiting Ghana would feel at home hearing customs officials address them in the Chinese language.

"Language is not only a bridge. It is also affection," Chen said.

One trainee, Janet Adjei-Marfo, said the Chinese language course "will help us to open up to passengers."

"As customs officers, we can now communicate with Chinese travelers in their native language and make them feel at home," she told Xinhua.