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Nana, Mahama, Kufuor lead tree planting today

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File picture, President Akufo-Addo planting a tree

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will today, Friday, June 10, kick start the 2022 edition of the Green Ghana Day by planting a tree at the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra.

The programme aims at enhancing national awareness of the necessity for collective action towards restoration of degraded landscapes in the country, inculcate values of planting and nurturing of trees in the youth, mitigate climate change, and beautify the communities and environment.

At least 20 million trees are to be planted across the country, as part of the aggressive afforestation and reforestation programme, to restore the lost forest cover and contribute to global climate action.

Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, announced this in Parliament on Wednesday when he presented a statement on this year’s Green Ghana Day campaign, with the objective of soliciting the support of members to enhance awareness.

He explained that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will plant a tree in Tamale while the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin and his two Deputy speakers will plant theirs within the precincts of Parliament, and the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, will plant a tree within the environs of the Supreme Court.

He said other eminent Ghanaians, including former President John Agyekum Kufuor, would plant at Gomoa Nsuaem, while former President John Dramani Mahama would plant in Accra.

He said the Asantehene and Ya-Na would plant trees in Kumasi and Yendi, respectively, while the National Chief Imam, and other eminent clergy, would plant in Accra and other parts of the country. Making a case for the environment, Mr Jinapor informed Parliament that the climate crisis was reaching a tipping point.

“According to the experts, greenhouse gas emissions are at their highest levels in two million years, and they continue to rise. The Earth is now 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than it was in the late 1800s, with the last decade being the warmest period. Ice in the Antarctic and glaciers are melting, rain patterns are changing, rivers and streams are drying up, and sea temperatures are rising,” he said.

“Mr. Speaker, here in our own country, the Ghana Meteorological Agency reports that Ghana has experienced more than one degree Celsius increase in temperature in the last three decades. The effect of this on our daily lives are obvious, tidal waves sweeping over coastal communities, frequent droughts, perennial floods, temperature rise, erratic rainfall patterns, food insecurity and poverty, among others,”

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees celsius, is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and maintain a livable climate. But, at the current rate, global warming is projected to reach 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.

“The good news, Mr. Speaker, is that we have solution, which is within our reach; forests. Also referred to as the “Lungs of the Earth,” forests play a crucial role in the sustainability of our planet and our survival, by absorbing carbon dioxide and contributing to emission reduction. Regrettably, however, the world’s forests are being depleted at an alarming rate,” he said.

To reverse the disturbing situation, President Akufo-Addo, in 2021, launched the Green Ghana Project, as part of an aggressive afforestation and reforestation programme.

He said the maiden edition of the Green Ghana Day, which started last year with the support of members and Ghanaians planted over seven million trees, exceeding the target of five million.

He said reports from the Forestry Commission indicated that about 80 per cent of those trees had survived and were doing very well.

Source: GNA

World Bank launches report on Ghana Trade Competiveness within AfCFTA framework

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The World Bank Country Director, Pierre LaPorte addressing the launch
The panelists at the event

The World Bank, in partnership with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), at an event held in Accra yesterday, elucidated on how Ghana could leverage trade policy to accelerate export diversification and economic transformation. The Bank also launched a report, following ten years of research, on trade competiveness, titled “Ghana Trade Competiveness Diagnostics.” The report looks at strengthening Ghana’s trade competiveness in the context of AfCFTA, while examining Ghana’s export competiveness for goods and services over the pre-Covid period.

Speaking at the programme, Mr. Herbert Krapa, deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, said the government would invest in trade-related infrastructure. “We can take advantage of the AfCFTA to invest in infrastructure, making sure we have enough policy contexts. We can also rely on the report to do a better job of promoting trade competiveness in the country,” he highlighted.

The World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mr. Pierre La Porte, taking his turn, also stated that the World Bank was happy to produce this report, at a time that the government was seeking to achieve economic transformation, increased opportunities for job creation and poverty reduction.

He further stated that the choice for policy makers was no longer whether to support services or manufacturing, but how to best leverage the potential of the services sector to deliver productivity growth, export growth, and job creation.

“The report examines the policy implications of emerging trends in value chains and the potential economic impact of AfCFTA on Ghana’s economy,” he said.

“The potential benefit offered by the AfCFTA (0.5% additional GDP growth per annum over next ten years) is very significant. This should motivate Ghana to harness the transformative potential of trade by cultivating export-oriented activities in both manufacturing and services and following up with the outstanding negotiations and implementation of the AfCFTA protocols,” the Country Director reiterated.

The Co-Author of the report, Daniel Kwabena Boakye, on his part, made reference to the key findings in the book. According to him, “Ghana’s merchandise trade competiveness, especially in the non-extractive sector, has declined over the last decade of 2010-2019, resulting in the decline in number of exporting firms and the level of participation in Global Value Chains.”

He added, “Nonetheless, there have been improvements in transport logistics and access to ICT infrastructure, which can be leveraged for more diversified trade and economic transformation. The establishment of AfCFTA offers significant opportunities for increased intra-Africa trade and deeper regional integration.”

Daniel Kwabena Boakye suggested that “To take advantage of the emerging opportunities under AfCFTA and GVCs, Ghana needs to strengthen its trade competiveness through elimination of non-tariff barriers, implementation of trade facilitation reforms, enhanced regulatory framework for trade in services and improvement of the investment and business environment.”

The Co-Author concluded that “Ghana is well positioned to leverage trade in services, including logistics, foreign direct investment and trade policy to consolidate the country’s comparative advantage as a hub for business and financial services in the West Africa sub-region.”

Panelists for the event, Dr. Priscilla Twumasi Baffour of the Centre for Research in Economic Development and International Trade (CREDIT) and Prof. John Asafu-Adjaye, Senior Fellow at Africa Center for Economic Transformation (ACET), noted that Ghana needs to do a lot as a country in terms of our competiveness, and the report will help to drive us to what we are looking for in a sustainable economy.

By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave

Takoradi fake kidnap victim appeal fails

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Joana Krah, the convict

A Sekondi High Court, presided over by Justice Dr. Richmond Osei Hwere, has reduced the six year sentence imposed on Joana Krah who claimed she had been kidnapped, but turned out to be a hoax, to five years.

Krah, a resident of Takoradi, was found guilty by a lower court of deceiving public officers and causing publication of false news. She, however, felt the sentence imposed on her was too harsh, and, therefore, proceeded to file an appeal at the High Court.

Her Counsel, Emmanuel Kofi Arthur, argued during the hearing of the appeal that the sentence handed his client was harsh and excessive, and causing hardship to the appellant. His grounds of appeal was that the conviction was not proper and did not support the charge, and that the trial Circuit Court Judge erred when he failed to discharge his client, knowing very well that the charge did not support the facts of the case.

Joana Krah, faked her kidnapping in October, 2021, when she conspired with two other persons to demand GH¢5,000.00 ransom from her adopted father, the police prosecution told the Circuit Court Judge.

Unknown to the father, his daughter was faking the kidnapping and quickly reported the issue to the Takoradi Central Police Command.

The accused showed up the next day when the police had mounted a search for her, only to tell them she was joking with the father.

The police did not accept her story and quickly arraigned her to court where she was charged on two counts – publication of false news with intent to cause alarm, and deceiving of a public officer, and she pleaded guilty.

In passing his sentence, the Circuit Court Judge, Michael Cudjoe Ampadu, said he took into consideration the character of the accused, and the fact that she did not waste the time of the court when she pleaded guilty.

Again, he also took into consideration the fact that the accused had a three years old child.

However, he decided to sentence her to jail to serve as a lesson to others, considering the degree to which the fake kidnapping stories had been reported in Takoradi.

RULING ON APPEAL

In his ruling, the High Court Judge, Osei Hwere, stated that the accused knew her action would result in a police complaint, and that the consequence of her action in raising false alarm and deceiving a public officer was undesirable and foreseeable.

He said the appellant closed her eyes to what the act would cause, and that her intention was clear. This, he argued, was grounds for the conviction. For this reason, the appeal was rejected.

According to the High Court Judge, the trial Circuit Court Judge correctly exercised the conviction, and the sentence was within the sentencing regime. He, however, exercised his discretion by reducing the sentence from six years to five.

From Kwesi Alfred Adams, Sekondi High Court

Revision of Covid-19 safety protocols critical

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Editorial

Some Public Health analysts are advocating for a review of the Covid-19 safety protocols, as the country’s active cases continue to rise. According to them, the re-introduction of the safety protocols is very critical in combating the persisting disease. Already, two new strains of the Omicron variant have been detected by Scientists sequencing Sars-Cov-2 in Ghana.

As Covid-19 active cases soar, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is worried that efforts to clamp down on the disease will be zilch, as a section of Ghanaians are unwilling to vaccinate. The Chronicle is equally worried at reports that Covid-19 cases have risen over the last two weeks in the country.

Latest health data shows about 300 cases – meaning that the virus is not totally out of the system. We are learning that we have flu (H3N2) going around, with a number of people coughing and sneezing, with test results coming out as either H3N2 or Covid-19.

The Chronicle would like to stress that all signs point to the fact that the virus still persists, thus the citizenry should not let down their guard. We are also alarmed that less than 10% of Ghanaians have been vaccinated so far, an indication that the country could experience another wave of the virus.

The Chronicle would, therefore, urge stakeholders to put in place drastic measures to intensify the campaign to get more people vaccinated in the coming days. To us, at The Chronicle, the virus may stay longer with us, for which reason we call on health experts to integrate it into our healthcare and push for more vaccinations. We believe that if more people get vaccinated, we can at least control the spread of the virus.

Reports indicate that some of the new cases were recorded in schools, whilst others were traced to parties and indoor events, we would, therefore, appeal to the general public to be extra careful and protect themselves during social events. School authorities should also enhance the protocols to safeguard our students on the various campuses.

A Research Fellow at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Dr. Yaw Bediako, has suggested the need for boosters to be given within a 6-month interval to ensure potency against the virus. This has become necessary because the protection from previous exposure to the Omicron BA1 and BA2 does not adequately protect these variants.

The call by Dr. Bediako, followed concerns raised by Scientists over the detection of Omicron variants in the country, and it is against this background that The Chronicle is counting on health authorities to fashion out a multifaceted approach in dealing with the rising cases of the virus.

We would appeal to the general public to make themselves available for vaccinations to control the spread of the virus. Let’s remind ourselves that a healthy people would ensure a wealthy nation.

Letter to Senior Opupulepu (189)

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Opinion

Paapa Judge, this my skin pain opponent has make fine

Dear Senior Opupulepu,

How are you do? As for me and my shordies, we are all do fine, fine, sorry, no, we are all do well, well.

Senior, you know more than I do that whenever parishioners of blue kiosks visit their congregational centres and become filled with the Holy Spirit, and they come out walking upside down and sideways, we say they have make fine.

Senior, there are spirits and there are spirits. When the Spiritus Sanctus enter into human being, He brings with Him, peace perfect peace, joy perfect joy, love perfect love. Please here I am not referring to that love you and some fathers’ daughters make when you celebrate visits to any of the Your-Father-Is-Not-Here-Your-Mother-Is-Not-Here, dark allies and corners. Such places are so dark that even Wofa Sasabonsam himself, fears to look at, let alone visit.

Senior, as for Spiritus Sanctus dieee, there is no size. He comes in such gentle, gentility and as silent as a Sunday School pupil strictly observing, Sunday-School-No-Talking. But do not be deceived, power and might belong to Him and He is like the great, Obarima Kwabena Nkansa, Obarima Who Is Very Handsome, Who When He Walks The Ground Shakes, But When He Walks No One Hears He Is Coming.Yes Spiritus Sanctus, is over a billion times more than Obarima Kwabena Nkansa.

Senior, but who is this Obarima Kwabena Nkansa? Well, there is a rumour going on that I am Obarima Kwabena Nkansa, even though it is true, please keep it to yourself.

Senior, the things Spiritus Sanctus can do, only Yahweh and Yesu Christus Emmanuel can do. If we have to discuss these Three in One Trinity, we will be here till next year when we have not even started.

Senior, another set of spirits are kaakai by nature, sorry by spirit. They do only bad and they rule darkness except darkness where Spiritus Sanctus is quietly relaxing and taking His day off. These spirits are in fact Wofa Sasabosam’s labourers and he uses them to do bad, bad things.

Senior, there is another spirit, which can make man get into the spiritual realms and see things that never exist, touch things that are truly not there. These spirits in Ogyakrom can be called ogyateshie. Ogyateshie is distilled in Agbogbloshie, labelled in Bubuashie, packaged in Lartebiokoshie, wholesaled in Awoshie, retailed in Kaneshie and drunk in Teshie.

Senior, anyone who drinks Ogyateshie, becomes, fine – fine as in fine by way of looking fine and fresh. In fact, ogyateshie is also edible sanitizer which when one drinks, no house fly, town fly, bush fly or mosquito will fly in the person’s air space.

Senior, when someone becomes fine under the influence of ogyateshie, no one can engage him or her in any discussion, because he will only talk in the spirit and speak in the other version of tongues, which no one will understand to even be able to interpret.

Senior, when for some reason, you enter into the shelter where any of those old men and old women sit on benches doing nothing and you put your case across and call as witness, someone who has become fine, by tasting more than three mouthfuls of ogyateshie, your opponent’s I-Put-It-To-You apparatchik, who himself has been called to and frequently visits and in fact lives in drinking bars, will only say, “My Lord Papa Judge, This Guy Person Is Not A Credible Witness, Because He is fine.”

Senior, you remember, that Municipal Police, Madam Toffee, who it is been proven that she is not in fact an Ogyakromian but was dumped here by some Fulani nomads so she a person without a village. The story goes that these nomads invaded some farm hamlet and stole everything in sight. At that time Madam Toffee who was developing breasts on her chest was sleeping, in fact drunk. Her boyfriend introduced her to drink their version of ogyateshie in an attempt to go Suhum-Nsawam with her. But that did not happen. The boy’s father called him and sent him to go to the hamlet square and get him tobacco.

Senior, forensic evidence is showing that this happened in the Ivory village. It was that time that the lawless Fulani nomads invaded that hamlet. And took everything in sight and fled. They took Madam Toffee who because it was in the dark, they thought she was a baby cow, as in calf.

Senior, it was not until, they got to Ogyakrom, when the sun started shining, that they saw it was a human being they were carrying.If she was as ugly as a Fulani, they would have accepted her like that. Unfortunately, she was so beautiful that they took a unilateral decision and decided to dump her in an Ogyakrom hamlet called Jamboree.

Senior, this lost and not found daughter of Eve, decided that she will not go back home and settled herself in Jamboree. And sooner than later, the Umbrella clan, who are lawless by nature, adopted her and made her their Municipal Police of Jamboree.

Senior, this matter went before some old man who was sitting on a bench doing nothing. And when it was the turn to bring in the konkonsa people who know nothing but swear they know something, Madam Toffee’s I-Put-It-To-You apparatchik, who himself has just arrived from a drinking bar, shouted “Papa Judge, I know this man. Me and him drink at drinking bars and at the moment he is fine, so he cannot be a credible witness.”

Senior, but wait, was this not the guy man who vowed and swore an oath that he was going to castrate himself if Mama Gin, our chief fetish priestess at the Lot Casting shrine, would be able to compile the names of all Ogyakromians into her register? I am not talking about the witness. I am talking about that I-Put-It-To-You apparatchik.

Senior, is this guy still walking about with two balls of guinea fowl eggs between his legs? If it is him, then how credible can he be himself? He has been going to drinking bars with this guyman who always out-drink him, and, today, out of jealousy and envy, he is saying what?

Senior, I am Dan, sorry I am Done.

It’s Me!

Elder appeals to churches to consider plight of members

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Victor Gadri - Senior Presbyter

A Senior Presbyter at the Victory Congregation in the Dunkwa District, Mr. Victor Gadri, has appealed to religious leaders and churches to always consider the plight of their vulnerable members and the less privileged in their catchment areas first.

He noted that churches were supposed to comfort their vulnerable members and bring smiles to their faces all year round, instead of living luxurious lives while the members struggle to make earns meet on a daily basis.

Mr. Gadri, who is a Businessman, said the church was to preach peace, hope and love for one another, and for that matter, the church must not only concentrate on giving comfort to the leadership at the expense of the ordinary member, who was compelled and enticed to contribute to the development of the church.

He noted this while interacting with the media at a Thanksgiving Service that it was good for members of the church to have a conducive place for workshop, which was incumbent for the rich and the poor to do, irrespective of their financial and economic status, but not to neglect the members’ welfare after all their efforts and contributions.

The Businessman challenged the rich in society to always support the less privileged in and around their communities, stressing that it was not worth it for the haves to display wealth and live ostentatious and luxurious lives, while those around them suffer. “This is not a good sign of a religious person,” he said.

Mr. Gadri revealed that God blessed one for the purpose of helping others, and not to show off wealth and property to ridicule the poor in society.

Thumbs up for Bono East House of Chiefs

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Nana Kwaku Gyan Brokor II - Paramount Chief of Ofuman Traditional area

The Paramount Chief of Ofuman Traditional Area, Nana Kwaku Gyan Brokor II, has expressed his appreciation to the Bono East Regional House of Chiefs for working to bring sanity into the August House.

The Ofuman Chief lauded the House for the tireless efforts made to gazette him as the Paramount Chief of his jurisdiction.

He thanked the entire House, especially the President, Pemampem Yaw Kabrese V, who doubles as the Paramount Chief of Yeji Traditional Area, for the singular efforts in the gazzeting exercise and superintending the swearing in ceremony before the House.

Nana Gyan Brokor assured the President and the House that he would work tirelessly to bring peace and stability to the Chieftaincy Institution in the Bono East Region.

Nana Kwaku Gyan Bokor, however, appealed to the President of the House to use all legitimate means to resolve all pending and upcoming disputes before it, and ensure that the many vacancies in the Regional House were filled.

This, he said, would enable the House to contribute its quota towards nation building and help with the redemption of the past glory of the Chieftaincy Institution and move the country forward.

KMA inaugurates Transport Task Force; To decongest Central Business District

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Mayor Pyne in a pose with the members of the Task Force
Task Force member (right) receives a jacket from KMA official

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has inaugurated a 10-member Transport Task Force to work for the decongestion of the Central Business District at Adum. The Task Force would mainly operate at Roman Hill, Pampaso Adum PZ, Asafo Market, VIP Station, Kejetia and the frontage of the Central Market.

The operations of the Task Force, whose membership is drawn mainly from the Metro Guards, comes under the direct supervision of the Transport Department of the Assembly, headed by Mr. Randy Wilson, and would ensure the decongestion of the city, as well as ensure the security of transport organisations.

The Transport Department has noticed that 80% of traffic in the Central Business District is due to street unloading of goods by shop owners in the Metropolis.

Inaugurating the Task Force on Tuesday, the Mayor of Kumasi, Samuel Pyne, cautioned the members to be diligent in the discharge of their duties.

He reminded them that he was personally interested in their operations and would monitor them, further cautioning them that anyone who goes out of his way to abuse his mandate would be sanctioned appropriately.

The Mayor indicated that the Task Force would be assigned to various points in its operational areas to check illegal loading and off-loading of goods.

He also reminded them that per the bye-law of the Assembly, off-loading of goods was done between 6pm and 8am, and warned that shop owners who flout this directive would be sanctioned.

The KMA boss encouraged the members of the Task Force to clamp vehicles found loading or off loading goods in the Central Business District after 8am, and said such drivers would be liable for fines and other punitive sanctions.

GTEC sensitizes Journalists on its mandate and Operations

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Mr Mohammed Salifu Director General of GTEC
Journalists present at the seminar

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has educated journalists and media practitioners on its mandate and operations under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023).

GTEC is a merger of the erstwhile National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and National Accreditation Board (NAB) and is also made up of 264 Tertiary Educational Institutions, with 175 public and 93 private.

Speaking at the seminar in Accra yesterday, under the theme, “Media Sensitisation on the Mandate and Operations of GTEC”, the Director General of GTEC, Mr Mohammed Salifu, said there is the need to sensitise the media to help maintain the eternal vigilance and hold their Tertiary Education Landscape(TELs) accountable.

According to him, the policy document guiding the activities of the Commission is under Act 1023.

Mr Salifu further told the journalists that the mandate of GTEC is to regulate Tertiary Education in all its forms, with a view to achieving certain objectives, which include effective and efficient management.

On the mandate of the Commission, the Director General stated that his outfit establishes and develops TELs, budgets and many more, adding that it also plans system relative to needs of the development and also implements norms and standards and other necessary duties.

The Chairman of GTEC, Mr. Kwame Boafo Arthur, in his address emphasised on the importance of the media in carrying the mandate and operations of his outfit, as it plays a vital role in Ghana. “The media plays a vital role in Ghana’s development, that is why it is critical that they have a full understanding of the commission to enhance its performance of agenda setting as far as Tertiary Education is concerned,” he stated.

He also noted that his outfit partners with the media to create awareness of the level of standards and quality assessments in Tertiary Education and also to come up with strategies on how best the Commission, in collaboration with the media can improve Tertiary Education.

“We must also make sure all institutions conform to rules and regulations that will help in enhancing the standards of various Institutions,” he added.

AfCFTA implementation risks political, economic setbacks -Prof Abotsi

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Professor Ernest Abotsi, Dean, University of Professional Studies Accra

Professor Ernest Abotsi, Dean, University of Professional Studies Accra (UPSA) Law School, says political and economic ills could derail optimal implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Notable among them include restrictions on human movement and goods, corruption, lack of infrastructure, Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT) and Bilateral Trade Agreements (BTAs), and remedies for breaches of rights of members.

When fully implemented, the pact would connect about 1.3 billion people across 54 African countries through a single market for goods and services, making it the world’s largest free trade area.

However, Prof Abotsi noted that such political and economic challenges could be a major drawback to the full realisation of the benefits of the free trade agreement, expected to create inclusive and sustainable development in Africa.

Speaking at a public lecture in Accra on Tuesday evening, he said: “A critical issue to be tackled without further delay for future success of the regime is the need for the removal of all barriers impeding free movement of goods, services, and persons.”

He particularly stated that: “What I’m calling for here is the free movement of persons across African borders through the institution of visa free travels.”

The forum, organised by the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences was on the topic: “African Continental Free Trade Area: challenges and prospects.”

“Having undergone a process of cross-continental decolonisation for over 50 years, African countries have a business maintaining and enforcing colonial boundaries erected to preserve the interests of colonial powers of European imperialism,” Prof Abotsi observed and called for a change.

On corruption, the Dean stated that the occurrence remained a major obstacle and noted that with the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic, an opportunity had been created for corrupt officials to advance their goals.

He indicated that where traders were asked to make illicit payments or be excluded, it could lead to an excessive cost of doing business – a disincentive for business commencement and sustainability across the continent.

He, therefore, urged the African Union (AU) and the AfCFTA Secretariat to institute measures that would facilitate trade by enabling easier exchange between member countries and businesses.

The Law Lecturer also called for a structural change in the African economy from a predominantly producers of primary commodities to value addition that would create excellent products and services.

“Building or intensifying an integrated market would also require that we install supporting systemic infrastructure including roads, telecommunication networks, intra-regional air traffic, customs and border processing systems across the country,” he said.

Prof Abotsi stated that while the AfCFTA Secretariat could not legally stop member states from adopting other agreements that were not compatible with the pact, it could adopt a policy to guide BIT and BTAs.

“A core challenge that could potentially undermine the optimal enforcement of the AfCFTA regime is the issue of remedies for breaches of the rights of a member or members by a member to the AfCFTA,” he noted.

He urged the Secretariat to ensure the elimination of opportunistic application of the measure when activated by ensuring that when taken, retaliatory measures were superintended by the rule and the aegis of the Secretariat.

Source: GNA

The Ghanaian Chronicle