Work together to harness the benefits of AfCFTA — Trade Minister urges public, private sector

The Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten has called on public institutions to work with the private sector to harness the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

He said the government would provide the needed political impetus and create the enabling environment to ensure the successful implementation of AfCFTA in Ghana.

Mr Kyeremanten, who was speaking at the launch of the AfCFTA Policy Framework and Action Plan in Accra on Tuesday, said as the host country for the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ghana was uniquely positioned to become the new commercial capital of Africa.

He encouraged the rest of the African countries to take bold steps to bring prosperity to the entire continent, adding that prosperity to the entire continent requires a sustained political commitment and leadership.

He said Ghana was determined to make the most of the AfCFTA by leveraging on the trade and investment opportunities that it presents to accelerate the development and growth of the economy.

The minister said the government’s vision was to transform Ghana into a modern, industrialized country, which would become the new manufacturing hub of the continent, adding that the effective implementation of the AfCFTA, would make a significant contribution to realise that vision.

The national AfCFTA policy framework and action plan is geared towards the harmonization of relevant policies, programmes, laws and regulations to boost the productive capacity of the private sector in Ghana particularly MSMEs to harness the full benefits of AfCFTA.