Turkish investors to boost health, agriculture sectors
A delegation from Turkey has arrived in the country to explore investment prospects in the agriculture and health sectors with their Ghanaian partners.
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The 10-member delegation, comprising academicians, finance experts, health professionals and entrepreneurs, will undertake a series of feasibility assessments to identify the aspects of health and agriculture that require investment.
The visit also forms part of a series of assessments to unlock a $100 million investment fund for the two sectors.
Turkish delegation
A gynaecologist and leader of the delegation, Dr Zerrin Gelik, lauded the cordial relationship between Ghana and Turkey, emphasising this would strengthen and engender economic growth and development.
She said the preference for Ghana as an investment destination was influenced by the exploits of the country in the health sector and the competence of their Ghanaian counterparts.
"There are many countries in Africa but we chose Ghana because we have seen that the country has really achieved quite a lot in the health sector, but this partnership will do more in that regard," she said.
"One other consideration which influenced our decision to come to this country was the competence and dedication of our business partners in Ghana.
"We believe a collaboration with them would enable us to construct more hospitals and do more agricultural projects in the country,” she added.
Dr Gelik stressed that the partnership would improve Ghana's agriculture sector, adding that facilitating the attainment of food security by Ghana remained top on the agenda of the delegation.
Local partner
A businessman and lead partner, George Oti Bonsu, called for pragmatic interventions to address Ghana's food security challenges.
He said the collaboration between the two parties in agriculture would address the peculiar needs of some prioritised communities, particularly Asante Akyem Agogo
He said the partnership would afford a learning opportunity for the Ghanaian side to wean Ghana from its rain-fed agriculture to a modernised system of irrigation.
"Turkey does not have the kind of favourable weather we have here in Ghana but they are able to do their farming and do not experience any shortage of food. There are proper irrigation projects in Turkey to boost their farming.
"Eventually, if we are bringing them here to Ghana, then whatever they are doing in their country will be replicated over here by us, their partners here," he said.
Mr Bonsu said the project would enable the partners to leverage Ghana's arable land potential to improve food security and reduce food imports.