First Turkish export products exhibition opens

Vice President Aliu Mahama said reiterated the government's determination to promote the private sector in all initiatives towards the revival of the country's economy.

"To demonstrate the commitment of government to this objective, the Ministry for Private Sector Development has been created to facilitate and streamline the regulatory framework," he said in a speech read for him at the first Turkish Export Product exhibition in Accra.

In all, 110 companies from Turkey representing various private sector concerns are participating in the exhibition.

The Vice President said the presence of the large contingent of private sector operators to explore business collaboration in Ghana is a manifestation that the "Golden Age of Business declared by the government has indeed been embraced by our global friends."

He said the exhibition marks the beginning of a relationship between the two countries in the aviation front, as for the first time, a Turkish airliner, has landed in Accra.

Alhaji Mahama said trade volumes between Ghana and Turkey indicate that from 5.9 million dollars for both countries in 1996, Ghana's export to Turkey as at 1999 rose to 18.2 million dollars.

He said Turkey's export to Ghana rose in multiples to 61.3 million dollars during the same period.

The difference in trade volumes, he said, is an indication that Ghanaians have not been aggressive to match the brisk business acumen of the Turks.

Alhaji Mahama urged the Ghanaian participants to enter into investment discussions for joint venture projects in agriculture and agro-processing, which constitute the bedrock to Ghana's economic take-off.

In a speech read for him, Dr Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry, said to achieve accelerated economic growth, the trade policy of the government has to be geared towards giving local industries renewed impetus to make them globally competitive.

"There is the need for us, therefore, to place more emphasis on modern technology as an aid to industry and business," he said.

Dr Apraku said the Ghana Trade and Investment Gateway Programme has been designed to serve the needs of the private sector so that Ghana can be positioned as a major investment destination in the West Africa sub-region.

He said the Export Processing Zone, the Free Ports and Liberalised Skies Policies would be enhanced to enable investors to use Ghana as a base to manufacture products, assemble, package, store, wholesale and distribute goods to the sub-region.

The Minister urged the Turks to consider re-locating some of their businesses in Ghana, especially in the Free Zones so as to be able to take advantage of opportunities opening up in Ghana.

Mr Omer Sahinkara, Turkish Ambassador to Ghana, announced plans by the Turkish government to re-open the Turkish Embassy in Accra next year.

He said the exhibition, which is another milestone in Turkey-Ghana relations, expresses the political and economic wishes of the two countries.

He said they chose Ghana as the exhibition centre because it is a peaceful country and the Turkish people admire its democracy.

Mr Lord Duodu-Kumi, Consul of Turkey to Ghana, urged Ghanaian entrepreneurs to seek the opportunity to interact with their counterparts, especially, in the area of technology.