Cross-border trade workshop opens in Accra

Mr Clement Kofi Humado

Accra, April 3, GNA - Cross-border trade in agricultural and food produce in West Africa has suffered a lot of setbacks mainly due to road harassment practices, a survey report has indicated.

The many unauthorised checkpoints, illegal charges on produce, illegal taxes and deliberate delays aimed at cheating traders and transporters have contributed to frustrations to many road users in the region.

Ghana, for instance, has more than 40 roadblocks and checkpoints on its major corridors, particularly on the Paga-Accra corridor being manned by the Police and officials of Customs Divisions of Ghana Revenue Authority, who continue to unduly delay transporters, traders, and farmers, which derails cross-border trade.

The Road Harassment Report on Agricultural Products in West Africa, released by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILLS) has explained that if there are obstacles to the development of intra-regional trade in agricultural and food products as a result of these multiple checkpoints and other administrative barriers i.e. unofficial taxes, illegal fees etc, then there will be delays in getting theses agricultural and food products to the regional markets.

The survey was conducted between July 2013 and February 2014 on the Ashaiman-Kumasi-Tamale- Burkina Faso and Niger trade corridor concerning abnormal practices on the borders.

At a days meeting of Road Show on Road Harassment on the Tema/Accra-Ouagadougou Trade Corridor with regard to the Flow of Agricultural Commodities organised by CILLS with support of USAID, Mr Clement Kofi Humado, Minister of Food and Agriculture said the many delays on the trade corridors also calls on transporters, traders and road users to ensure that they have the right papers, proper drivers licenses, that would not warrant any harassment.

In a speech read on his behalf, he noted that the flow of trade along the corridors is of paramount importance and relevant particularly, as it strengthens regional integration by linking various markets in the region.

He said since West Africa has the highest transportation cost in the world couple with harassment, it was a good thing for such a meeting to deliberate and help eliminate abnormal practices on our trade corridors and by so doing strengthen regional trade and improve food security in Ghana and in ECOWAS region.

Dr Djime Adoum, Executive Secretary of CILSS said West Africa is a region with great potential in terms of trade in agricultural and food products, but the multiple check points and other illegal practices along the corridors were denying traders the opportunity to take advantage of the available potential.

I believe that if stakeholders show great commitment to address road harassment issues across West Africa, the regional trade potential in the region will be unlocked for the benefit of all, he said.

CILSS, as an arm of ECOWAS, was established to invest in research for food security and the fight against the effects of drought and desertification for a new ecological balance in the Sahel region.

The Road Show therefore, was organised to inform participants from government ministries, security agencies, international donor community, development partners, transport agencies, traders and transporters to discuss the survey result and come out with implementable interventions that would help eliminate the bottlenecks in trading on the corridors.

Mr Moro Abubakar, Deputy General Secretary, Administration, Ghana Private Road Transport Union of Trade Union Congress said the road harassment had become too much for users, calling for the need to stop the deliberate delay which cause our cattle, onions, and tomatoes to go bad.

Removing barriers to regional trade has benefits for farmers, consumers and government. Acquiring incentives to meet the growing regional demand for food and new jobs will be created along the value chain business, Mr Mousa Cisse, Regional Coordinator, CILSS said.

GNA