Ghana, Turkey sign four agreements
Ghana and Turkey on Tuesday signed two agreements and two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) as part of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s two-day visit to the country.
The bilateral agreements include; promotion and protection of investments and bilateral agreement on communications, while the Memoranda of Understanding include; Sports, Energy and Natural Resources.
The MOU on investment, Energy and Natural Resources were Signed by Madam Hannah Tetteh, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and her Turkish counterpart, while the MOU on Communications was signed by Mr William Tavie, the Chief Executive Officer of National Communications Authority.
The Sports MOU was signed by Mr Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuije, the Minister of Youth and Sports.
All the signing ceremonies were witnessed by President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey
President Mahama gave the assurance that his administration would make all the necessary follow-ups that would help consummate the agreements they had signed for mutual benefits.
He commended the Turkish government for adding 20 scholarships to needy but brilliant Ghanaian students to study the sciences in Turkey and gave the assurance that government would continue to chart the path with the Turkish government to achieve her development goals.
President Mahama said his administration was also holding comprehensive discussions with the Turkish Export and Import Bank to help in the establishment of a similar one in Ghana in the coming days.
President Mahama said in the diplomatic realm, he had directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to establish a new Consulate in Instanbul.
He said Turkey was a worthy partner to help eliminate terrorism in the world on account of her geographical position, announcing that Ghana’s Minister of Defence’s invitation to Turkey for cooperation would help cement their relations in that regard.
President Erdogan on his part said Ghana was the fourth trade partner in Sub-Sahara Africa, giving the assurance that their trade levels could rise to $20 billion United States dollars by 2020.
In that case, the Turkish President predicted that companies investing in Ghana would move beyond the envisaged 50 companies in Ghana.
He commended President Mahama for his role in helping solve the terrorist crisis in some West African countries and his efforts during the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
President Erdogan commended Ghanaians for their hospitality, a gesture he admitted experiencing since his arrival less than 24 hours in the country.
Turkey, he added, was determined and poised to strengthen its partnership in the area of energy and would therefore do everything possible to harness all the potentials in that area.
The Turkish President would also address the Parliament of Ghana and jointly hold a business forum and cut the sod for the construction of Terminal three of the Kotoka International Airport.
Source: GNA