The Ministry of Information (MoI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have jointly held capacity building training for selected trade journalists in the country to boost their understanding and reportage on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The workshop was to empower the Ghanaian media to play a significant role in demystifying complex national and continental issues and policies for the citizenry, including the single continental market.
The agreement establishing the AfCFTA entered into force on May 30, 2019, whilst its implementation started on January 1, 2021, however, most Ghanaians and the business community do not have the in-depth knowledge that is required to enable them to leverage the various policies and strategies that have been rolled out by the government.
The training was in line with the media capacity enhancement programme of the Ministry of Information to equip journalists with the right knowledge and skills in specialized areas to enable them to deliver and bring information to the doorsteps of the public. UNDP’s Resident Representative in Ghana, Dr. Angela Lusigi, in exposing the gap in information about the AfCFTA, cites the recent survey by the Ghana Statistical Services (GSS) which shows that one-in-four of agribusiness firms in the country had no idea about the single continental market.
Our focus is on ensuring that women and youth-led businesses that are often left behind are positioned to thrive under the AfCFTA. This is because we see the single market as a catalyst for inclusive structural transformation in Ghana and Africa as a whole.One area that has been lagging as demonstrated by the GSS’ Agribusiness Tracker is the awareness about the AfCFTA; only one-in-four agribusiness firms know about the AfCFTA and very few effectively use digital technologies. She emphasizes that the media is the bridge to close the knowledge gap on the single continental market:
“We must ensure that these firms receive up-to-date information about the business opportunities in the AfCFTA and also facilitate the access to knowledge about the various regulatory tools, instruments and financing opportunities that they could leverage.
Dr. Lusigi says the media remains an important bridge between policymakers and the public on one hand, and the national and regional institutions that are driving the AfCFTA implementation.“You’re the gateway to enabling businesses and the public to better understand and leverage the benefits that the AfCFTA offers, and you also have an important role to play in advocating for, and, influencing the policies and additional investments that are required for the AfCFTA to work for all,” she tells participants.
Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, task the media to ask relevant questions around AfCFTA to enhance their understanding of the various protocols and tools of implementation to better inform the general public and business community.
“There are some very important questions when it comes to the implementation of this free trade area and how it ought to function, and it’s important to enhance the capacity of our media practitioners to have a deep understanding of these emerging issues and to help the entire ecosystem to grapple with them,” he says.
Again, the training is being facilitated by trade experts to give media practitioners the best capacity to inform the citizenry.“These training programs are being delivered by technical persons and consultants who are very well versed in the area and will engage and address all your concerns.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah expresses appreciation to the UNDP for their continuous support: “We very much appreciate what you’re doing, it’s our hope that you will continue to support such programs in the medium to long-term because we need them to help our industry get stronger.
Deputy Trade and Industry, Herbert Krapah, in his remarks, highlighted the potential of the AfCFTA to Africa and Ghana’s development and shared updates on the status of the AfCFTA.“Touted as the new dawn of Africa’s integration, this free trade area holds the potential to advance equitable development for all of its people.
It addresses that challenge of small, fragmented markets, adds value to Africa’s abundant natural resources, provides a boost to intra-African trade and ultimately promotes economic diversification and industrialization,” he says.This, according to the deputy minister, means more jobs for Africa’s young population, knowledge and skills transfer to the continent and all put together, and improved and sustainable way of bettering the standard of living.
Mr. Krapah also acknowledged the importance of trade information: “Trade information is listed as one of the seven critical clusters for boosting intra-African trade. Government and the media must collaborate strongly for the effective actualization of this most important objective,” he adds.
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