Civil society actors in Ghana appear united in the opinion that economic partnership agreements, EPAs, currently being negotiated between the European Union, EU, and the 77 member African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries, will not benefit Ghana.
In its present form, the EPA will lead to the loss of livelihood for most peasant
farmers, Mohammed Adam Nashiru, president of the Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition
Campaign, told a recent meeting of peasant farmers.
Some 60 percent of Ghana’s workers are in the agricultural sector, which is the main
source of livelihood for Ghanaians and supplies 35 percent of the country’s gross
domestic product, GDP..
Nashiru identified the poultry industry and tomato factories as those most at risk
to be negatively affected if the EPA were to be implemented.
Ghana’s industrialists are also applying pressure on the government.
They say they need support to strengthen their industry to make them better able to
cope with compeitition from cheap European goods that are likely to flood African markets.
The EPA negotiations are due to be concluded on the 31st of December.
