The Ghana-Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association has held an engagement with honorable members of the association and Turkish Ambassador to Ghana Huseyin Gungor .
The maiden meeting with the Ambassador was to facilitate bilateral relations between the two countries mostly in the agricultural sector, coupled with the other related matters both countries seem to derive from the bilateral relationship.
Chairman for the Ghana Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Association John Oti Bless in an open speech stated that Ghana-Turkey relations dates back in 1958 and along the line, the relationship between the two countries went bad and eventually ended in 1981. But currently the relationship between the two countries has strengthened over the years.
He went on saying that the Ghana-Turkey economic relationship has grown from strength to strength especially in the last decade as Turkey’s overall Africa policy began to take shape. Bilateral trade and investment in the Ghanaian economy by Turkish companies has grown significantly culminating in record growth at the end of 2020.
“Today, there are Turkish companies operating in many key sectors of our economy including aviation, energy, construction, education among several others.”he alluded
“The $ 10 million ultra-modern national mosque in Ghana (completed in 2021) was built by the Turkish Hudai Foundation in Accra with the support of the Turkish Government (Religious and Economic Soft Power, 2022)”he added
However, in an interview with the press after the meeting, the Turkish ambassador urged government of Ghana to expedite action on an agreement between the two countries on double taxation.
Ghana is said to have entered into such agreements with other countries where businesses operating in the two countries do not pay taxes on the same income.
Speaking with the media, the Turkish Ambassador to Ghana Huseyin Gungor disclosed his government has completed at the required processes awaiting Ghana to follow suit
The Chairman for the Ghana Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Association John Oti Bless assured MPs will do what it takes to ensure the business climate between Turkey and Ghana is enhanced.
By: Mary Quartey
