Turkey pledges to support Ghana’s 1D1F

The outgoing Turkish Ambassador to Ghana, Nesrin Bayazit has lauded moves by Ghana to industrialise.

She has consequently pledged the support of the Turkish Government for initiatives such as the One District -One Factory (1D1F).

Ambassador Bayazit has however cautioned against the expectations of a many Ghanaians wanting to see the country industrialised within 3-4 years.

Taking her turn on Metro TV’s current affairs programme, Diplomatic Affairs over the weekend, Ambassador Bayazit who is leaving Ghana after a three and half year duty tour to Ghana said the West African nation has the huge potential to become an industrialised nation and commended ongoing efforts to add value to its numerous raw materials and products.

According to the Turkish envoy, several Turkish firms are playing key role in various aspects of Ghana’s economic expansion and growth, citing the companies working on the Kotoka International Airport Terminal Expansion Project as well as Power Plants to support the energy sector.

She hinted Turkey is considering the establishment of a technical and vocational training centre in Ghana to aid the industrialisation agenda locally.

Turkey provides scholarships to Ghanaians as part of interventions to support human capacity, but outgoing envoy was not happy about frustrations some graduates encounter upon their return from Turkey.

“It is not enough to provide scholarships. The situation where many of the beneficiaries return home without any employment opportunities is not good. It is heart-breaking”, she complained.

She said the situation has compelled many beneficiaries of Turkish scholarship to remain in Turkey to engage in the teaching of English.

On tourism, Ambassador Bayazit said her government is prepared to partner Ghana to develop her tourism sector.

She suggested Tourism be taught in schools at pre-tertiary level as it is done in Turkey.

Ghana established diplomatic relations with Turkey in 1958 and Turkey first opened its mission in Ghana in 1964, closed it in 1981 due to austerity back home but was reopened in 2010. Ghana on the other hand opened its mission in Ankara in 2012.

For Ambassador Nesrin Bayazit, it is her first posting to Africa and praised Ghana’s peaceful, hospitable and ethnic diversity.

Diplomatic Affairs airs on Metro TV every Sunday at 6.30pm.