Ranking Member for Parliament’s Trade and Industry Committee, Michael Okyere Baafi
Correspondence from Eastern Region
The Member of Parliament for New Juaben South Constituency and the Ranking Member for Trade and Industry Committee in Parliament, Michael Okyere Baafi, says Ghana does not necessarily need a zero-tariff access to the Chinese market as being offered by the Chinese government to Africa.
He proposes that the government must rather take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, which has been signed by 54 out of 55 African Countries.
“As we speak now, about 80% of the African market has not been exploited. We must trade among ourselves,” Kofi Baafi said.
He believes that trading among Africans would build a more resilient continent rather than the Western market.
President John Dramani Mahama announced that Ghana is set to sign a zero-tariff access agreement with China by the end of October 2025, providing a free market for Ghanaian products in the Chinese market.
President Mahama’s statements follow an offer made by the Chinese government at the China-Africa summit in response to America’s decision to impose a 10% Tariff on African exports to the American market.
China, as a result, opened its market to Africa for trade without restrictions.
Meanwhile, the Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Trade and Industry and a former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government says the decision is not in the best interest of Africa and may ruin the gains made for the advancement of African trade.
Speaking to the media in response to President Mahama’s disclosure on the matter, Okyere Baafi noted that China’s export to Ghana increased by 46% between the year 2020 and 2024, while Ghana’s export to China increased by a meager 11%.
He indicated that China stands to benefit tremendously under these arrangements in a reciprocal manner.
The ranking member wants the government to take advantage of the existing free markets within the 54 African countries to trade and promote Ghanaian products rather than entering into agreements that may not be beneficial to the Ghanaian manufacturers and exporters.
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