Government re-echoes that Ghana as host of the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area has no option but to ensure that the AfCFTA does not fail and therefore calls on the private sector to embrace the continental trade project.
“We must note that a failure is not an option for Ghana as far as Ghana AfCFTA implementation is concerned. The private sector must give the government your full support in making this historic milestone success for Ghana in a thriving business community,” Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, says in a speech.
Addressing stakeholder engagement forum on leveraging opportunities under AfCFTA to boost economic growth in Ghana organized by the Good Governance Africa, she emphasized that beyond working hard to have the AfCFTA Secretariat in Ghana, the government creates the enabling environment for the private sector to own the AfCFTA and use it to their benefit and the benefit of Ghana and Africa as a whole.
She adds: “We expect that the duty-free, quota-free markets assets for Ghanaians will foster structural transformation; enhance economic growth, stimulate investments, and create jobs, amongst others. However, this cannot be achieved without strategically positioning ourselves, especially the private sector.”
The board chairman of Good Governance Africa and Chief Executive Officer of Private Enterprise Federation, Nana Osei Bonsu, shares that it will take the collective responsibilities of private sector businesses to prepare themselves adequately, to match competition that will arise as a result of AfCFTA.“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that we prepare our businesses to match up the competition that will be coming from other countries as a result of the implementation of the AfCFTA,” he states.
Executive Director of Good Governance Africa, Tina S. Asante-Apeatu, remarks that her office will promote continuous dialogues and review of the AfCFTA processes as it could facilitate the seamless implementation of the AfCFTA. “We are therefore committed to using our research and advocacy platforms to support this all-important and game-changing economic policy by the AU to ultimately help liberate the economics of member states and bring prosperity to all,” she notes.
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