Francisca Ashietey-Odunton
GHANA’S AMBASSADOR to Turkey, Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, says she is working seriously to earn Ghana the topmost position on the list of African countries that trade with Turkey.
Ms. Ashietey-Odunton, who was speaking in an exclusive interview with this reporter on the sidelines of the World Cooperation Industries Forum in Istanbul, Turkey, said currently, Ghana was occupying the second spot, with regards to the volume of trade between African countries and Turkey.
According to her, Ghana had the wherewithal to occupy the first position, regarding the volume of trade with Turkey.
To help Ghana to become the biggest trade partner of Turkey, she said “There is a huge trade imbalance between Turkey and Ghana. Ghana imports more from Turkey than it exports and this should change.”
Ms. Ashietey-Odunton said there should be concrete efforts to export more Ghanaian products to Turkey.
Also, she stated that Turkish businesses should be encouraged to take advantage of Ghana’s peaceful and stable environment and establish businesses in Ghana.
“Ghana has proper legal systems, potent human resource and the country is also stable so Turkish businesses should not fear to invest in our country”, the Ghana Envoy said.
Also, Ms. Ashietey-Odunton indicated that Ghana was blessed with abundance of natural resources, which alone should entice Turkish businesses to invest in the country.
She also said her administration has plans in the pipeline to organize business conferences and meetings to help make Ghana the biggest trade partner of Turkey in Africa soon.
The Ghana Ambassador said there would be an ‘Energy Expo’ in Turkey in October 2021, stressing that such events would help deepen Ghana-Turkey trade relations.
The programme saw the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) leading Ghanaian businessmen to meet the topmost manufacturers in Turkey.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Istanbul, Turkey