General News of Saturday, 16 September 2017
Source: GNA
2017-09-16
Turkish Ambassador to Ghana, Nesrin Bayazit
The Republic of Turkey has presented 30 buses to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) to boost public transportation in the country with a promise to assist Ghana in its waste management and protection of fresh water bodies.
Turkey in addition to the 34 seater buses also presented a 40 footer container of the vehicles spare parts.
Mr Ismail Hakki Turunc, Advisor to the Mayor, Istanbul, was optimistic that the buses presented would not only benefit those in the cities but all parts of the country.
According to Mr Turunc Istanbul has over 15-million people within various cities and the country was ready to share information in terms of management in various endeavors.
Nesrin Bayazit, Turkish Ambassador to Ghana, noted that the buses were in fulfillment of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey’s pledge to Ghana in March last year.
According to the Ambassador her country was ready to assist in Ghana‘s Local Government election system when introduced in Ghana.
She said Turkey was also going to offer assistance to government programmes such as one village one dam, planting for food and jobs among others.
Hajia Alima Mahama, the Sector Minister who received the buses at the Institute of Local Government Studies premises in Accra, expressed her gratitude to Turkey saying, that every region was going to benefit from the buses.
According to her, it was critical that Ghana learnt from Turkey’s Local government systems, which elected its Mayors and District Chief Executives on partisan basis.
The Minister noted that the presentation was not only going to strengthen bilateral relations between Ghana and Turkey, rather it would deepen the two countries decentralization processes.
Hajia Alima Mahama expressed her appreciation to Turkey for assisting 12 staff of the Parks and Garden Department who underwent training programmes in horticulture and crop plantation.
The sector Minister intimated that beneficiaries would be required to open accounts to absorb proceeds from the buses so that they could be used to maintain it as well as pay the drivers.
According to her the Ministry was closely learning from some transport unions on bus managements within Accra and that would be used in the various public transport units.
