By Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
The Upper West Regional Coordinating Director, Peter Maala, says Ghana’s trade with the rest of Africa is not merely a policy objective but a strategic vision that aligns with the country’s broader developmental goals.
He added that as “we navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by an ever-evolving global economic landscape, it is imperative for us to diversify our trade partners and seize the potential within our continent”.
Mr Maala made the observation when he deputised for the Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, at a stakeholder engagement on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Wa.
Mr Maala observed that by enhancing our trade ties with the rest of Africa, we can harness the untapped potential of our economies, drive sustainable growth, create jobs, and, as a result, uplift the standard of living of citizens.
He told the gathering that our collective knowledge and expertise are critical resources that can influence the successful implementation of AfCFTA policies on the ground.
Mr Maala also made a presentation on the comparative advantages and challenges of trading under AfCFTA in the Upper West.
He announced that the region’s proximity to commercial cities in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, and Niger can facilitate cross-border trade, but indicated that the low level of awareness of the business community on the opportunities offered under AfCFTA is a challenge that must be surmounted via continuous sensitization and capacity building.
The Enterprise Support Officer of the National AfCFTA Coordination Office, Divine Kutorts, who made a presentation on “Framework for National Implementation of AfCFTA”, advised traders to form viable groups in order to respond appropriately to the demands of the market and announced that Ghana is developing a trade information repository to give the needed updates to business people.
Mr. Kutortse stressed: “Ghana is trying to create what is called the ‘Ghana Information Repository’. That portal is to provide every available market information or intelligence to traders in the comfort of their homes.”
The Senior Advisor in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation at the National AfCFTA Coordination Office, Alhaji Yakubu Yussif, stated that Ghana is working around the clock to penetrate the five blocks in Africa with a market strength of 1.3 billion people and underscored the need for quality products.
He said: “They need to produce products that are of AfCFTA standard so that they can take advantage of the AfCFTA market that is created by African Union.”
