By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Feb 29, GNA – Mr John Oti Bless, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Nkwanta North, has called on Turkey to share its agriculture expertise with Ghana for the sector to thrive.
He said as the world needed to feed a growing population and with less land, the right investment in agriculture will inure to its expansion to meet the demands of the population.
“Agriculture is a major source of Turkey and Ghana putting our money behind food and crop production, processing, and distribution with adequate expertise from Turkey will be a good investment for our folks, majority of whom are farmers,” he said.
Mr Oti Bless made the call on Wednesday in Parliament during a familiarisation meeting between members of Parliament (MPs) who are members of the Ghana-Turkey Friendship Association, and Mr Huseyin Gungor, the Turkey Ambassador to Ghana.
He said Ghana and Turkey’s economic relationship had grown from strength to strength, especially in the last decade as Turkish overall African Policy began to take shape.
“Ghana and Turkey’s relationship dates back to 1958 where currently, the relationship has strengthened over the years.
“Bilateral trade and investment in the Ghanaian economy by Turkish companies have grown significantly culminating in a record growth at the end of 2020,” he said.
Mr Oti Bless noted that cooperation between the two nations on mutually accepted terms and conditions would facilitate infrastructural development to open avenues for economic growth.
While the MPs lauded Turkey for the role played in offering scholarships to promote academic excellence in the country, they also appealed for them to be engaged in their constituencies to monitor their respective projects.
Mr Gungor, on his part, said double taxation, promotion and protection of investment were the pending documents important to him as part of his 2024 agenda, which would cushion Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as a source of insurance.
He urged Ghanaians to start development programmes in agriculture for its practicality.
Ghana has enjoyed good relations with Turkey since independence, except for a period of strained rapport during the later years of the Nkrumah regime.
GNA