Accra, Feb.15, GNA – The Turkish Government has urged Parliament to support the numerous agreements signed between Ghana and Turkey and ensure that Ghana ratifies those agreements.
Mrs Ozlana Ergir Ulveer, the Turkish Ambassador to Ghana, said apart from agreements on economics and trade, there were areas of military defence cooperation, health, sports, civil aviation, terrorism and organised crimes that had been signed by the two countries yet to be approved by the Parliament of Ghana.
“Despite the effort by the relevant authorities and ministries… we definitely will appreciate your kind support in terms of the completion of the ratification process of the agreements,” she said.
Mrs Ulveer made the appeal when she paid a courtesy call on the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, at his office in Parliament House, Accra.
Ghana and Turkey have had cordial relations dating back to Ghana’s independence when Turkey opened its first Embassy in Accra in 1964.
The Embassy was, however, closed due to Turkey’s austere measures at the time and re-opened in 2010.
Since the reopening of the Embassy and the re-establishment of Ghana’s Embassy in Ankara, cooperation between the two countries had been flourishing in many sectors.
Mrs Ulveer called for the deepening of cooperation between Ghana’s Parliament and its Turkish counterpart for their mutual benefits.
Since the Legislature was the representative of the people, contacts among the parliamentarians would help to develop mutual understanding, she said.
She emphasised the need for Ghana’s Legislature to establish a Ghana-Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Group, saying the Turkish side was looking forward to that cooperation.
Mr Osei-Owusu, on his part, said the ratification of bilateral agreements were done on a need basis and once a particular ministry determined the need to approve a particular agreement, it came to Parliament for that.
He said unless there were constitutional impediments or some other international rules against an agreement the House would usually work to pass it.
“We will be glad to see that what is negotiated with the ministries when they get to us will focus on agreements that bring cooperation showing our respective strengths,” he said.
“I don’t know the content yet but I believe strongly that if the agreements come and show what Turkey can do, which is clearly beyond our own strength, then we will be willing to take advantage of what Turkey can bring.”
Mr Osei-Owusu stated that the essence of both nations having missions in each other’s countries was to deepen cooperation and relations to benefit each other.
He appealed to the Turkish Government to support Ghana’s Technical, Vocational and Skills training of artisans to be able to produce items usually imported to save the public purse.
Over the years Turkey had been able to enhance its technical and vocational training leading to a strong manufacturing base in terms of household doors and fittings, he said.
Many Ghanaians were importing their goods from Turkey and beyond China, he said, adding that Turkey may be the next biggest trading destination for Ghanaian businesses.
GNA