Business News of Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2019-03-20
New Turkish Ambassador pays courtesy call on Information Ministry
The Turkish government is looking forward to increase its bilateral trade with Ghana to $1 billion with special interest in the Agriculture and Tourism sector.
According to the new Turkish Ambassador to Ghana, Ozlem Ergun Ulueren, aside from their numerous investments in the country, Ghanaian authorities have pointed out several other opportunities.
“We believe that we can reach these targets for the benefits of both countries. We are determined to be development partners with Ghana,” she said.
Ghana and Turkey have enjoyed a close relationship since Independence in which there have been bilateral visits of presidents of the two countries to each other’s country.
Ghana opened an embassy in Turkey in the second half of the 1960s although it was closed and reopened 2009.
The Ambassador who has been in Ghana for the past two months disclosed that the Turkish construction companies have invested more than $500,000 in Ghana so far.
“What they have achieved so far proves that they will be able to be development partners to push forward the development efforts of Ghana in line with the programme of Ghana Beyond Aid,” she said.
She said one other Turkish company making lots of strides in the energy sector is Karpowership.
Mrs Ergun Ulueren said there are many other Turkish government projects in the country which are yet to be completed or just completed.
On his part, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah was excited that the Turkish government is willing to increase its foreign direct investment.
“The President is championing a new vision of Ghana Beyond Aid, which focuses on being self- reliant and one of the areas we are looking at apart from Agric and Tourism is industrialization.
“Turkey has done pretty well in that area and so we will be looking to see more foreign direct investments coming into that space so we will add value to Agric production,” he said.
He said government also wants to establish a big market in Turkey for Ghanaian products.
The Ofoase Ayeribi MP believes a lot of outbound market for traditional and non-traditional exports so “we can earn hard currency to boost the economy.”
Mr Oppong Nkrumah also invited Turkish investors to try the booming Ghanaian capital market which he said is doing quite well.
