Ghana to establish trade centre in Turkey : To promote Ghanaian products

The Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has disclosed that the government is to establish a trade centre in Turkey to make Ghanaian products readily available on the Turkish market.

The minister, who was speaking at the opening of a maiden Turkish Fair in Accra last Wednesday, urged Turkish companies to also venture into partnerships with their Ghanaian counterparts instead of relying on distributors and retailers to market their products in the country.

Mr Spio-Garbrah further entreated Turkish companies that were ready to establish in Ghana to consider selling part of their shares to their local counterparts.

“We want this relationship to grow to a point where Turkish companies can establish steel and cement making plants, furniture companies, cocoa processing, gold and jewelery making factories here in Ghana,” he said.

Partners

The Turkish Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Nesrin Bayazit, predicted that by the end of the year Ghana would become Turkey’s second largest trade partner in Africa. 

According to her, in 2015, Ghana was Turkey’s 4th largest trade partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.

She was confident that the fair would contribute to the expansion of trade ties between Ghana and Turkey.

Fair

The fair,directed at strengthening economic and trade ties between Ghana and Turkey, is expected to end on Saturday. 

The colourful event had 50 Turkish products on exhibition, some of which were given out as free samples to guests at the event.

The products included perfumes, wet wipe machines, household equipment and clothing.

Relationship

The President of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nana Dr Appiagyei Dankawoso I, said the fair served as platform on which bilateral relations between the two countries in the area of trade, energy, health would be deepened. 

He said trade volumes between Ghana and Turkey were skewed in favour of the latter. 

According to him, statistics from the International Trade Center (ITC) in Ghana indicated that in 2015, imports from Turkey into Ghana stood at $220 million while Ghana’s export to Turkey over the same period was $169 million.

He said the investment climate in Ghana was good and as such urged Turkish firms to establish companies in the country.

“Ghana has favourable investment opportunities that allow investors to enjoy tax exemptions and also repatriate their profits in full,” Nana Dankawoso said.

Location

The Vice President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Mr Dursun Topcu, said Africa was a strategic location for Turkish businesses with regard to urbanisation, population dynamics, infrastructure and geographical location.

He was hopeful that the fair would provide opportunity for Ghanaian products to be exported to Turkey.

“We are not just here to engage in trade that would benefit only one side. We want trade between us to be mutually beneficial and one that will forge partnerships among businesses in the two countries,” he indicated.

Also in attendance at the fair were the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills; a top Ghanaian diplomat in Turkey, Alhaji Ibrahim; the Executive Chairman of the State Enterprises Commission (SEC), Dr Camynta Baezie, and some traditional leaders.