Ms Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Trade and Industry (MOTI) on Friday reiterated government’s support and participation at regional, bilateral and multilateral trade levels to ensure that Ghana’s interests are secured for the development of the country.
She said government recognized that trading rules had a direct impact on Ghana’s development, especially in the context of globalization.
This was contained in an opening speech read for her by Mr. Eric Affram of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) at an on going sensitization and information sharing workshop in Bolgatanga where stakeholders discussed key international trade negotiation processes which Ghana was currently participating in.
Ms Tetteh defined MOTI’s objective as obtaining reductions in tariffs, elimination of non-tariff barriers on goods produced in Ghana for export and obtaining subsidies on products which compete with Ghanaian exports, among others.
“In seeking these objectives, MOTI aims at helping to develop the agricultural and industrial sectors to compete in international markets”, she added.
She found the workshop crucial for stakeholders as most of them often did not get the opportunity to participate in negotiations which by their international nature, often involved intergovernmental processes.
The sensitization programme would offer stakeholders the opportunity to understand issues, provide critical input into the negotiating processes, and get them informed about their outcomes as well as the implications of the rules for international trade established in those outcomes.
Ms Tetteh said in all engagements, it was the private sector that should ultimately define Ghana’s position in all trade negotiations. “The policy position of MOTI in negotiations is to secure improved market opportunities, support competitive production and support Ghana’s export development”, she said.
The Trade Minister said MOTI was currently engaged in three parallel negotiation processes at the multilateral, regional and bilateral levels among which at the regional level, MOTI as key player was engaged in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional negotiation process that focused on a Common External Tariff (CET),
Mr. Joshua Azure, Upper East Regional Officer of MOTI, said his outfit recognized that the country’s economy would make meaningful impact through trade and that the workshop was organized to enhance participants’ knowledge on trade rules.
He urged participants to come out with submissions for viable inputs into the position of Ghana in her engagements in the international trade negotiating process.