By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Tema, Oct. 31, GNA- Mr Ziad Hamoui, National President of Borderless Alliance, says only 17 per cent of Ghanaians have heard of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
This, he said, indicated that a significant awareness gap could limit the country’s ability to maximise opportunities under the continental trade agreement.
The situation he explained reflected a broader challenge across Africa, where an average of 87 per cent of people had not heard of the agreement.
Mr Hamoui said the figures were drawn from the third Afrobarometer report, which found out that awareness of AfCFTA remained low across the continent.
Speaking on a media platform on regional trade and border cooperation powered by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), he said greater public education was necessary to enable traders and businesses to understand and take advantage of the opportunities available under the agreement.
He said the low level of awareness was compounded by delays in implementing existing trade agreements, noting that commitments made at continental and regional levels often failed to translate into practical benefits for businesses.
Mr Hamoui identified three immediate priorities for advancing regional trade integration: domesticating agreements into national laws and policies, educating traders and businesses about their provisions, and strengthening cooperation among institutions responsible for trade and border management.
He stated that the private sector could support awareness creation but needed stronger collaboration with government institutions responsible for implementing the agreement.
He said Ghana’s AfCFTA National Coordination Office had an important role to play in connecting continental commitments with national implementation, sensitising businesses and publishing information on trade conducted under the agreement.
He called for greater efforts to identify the barriers preventing businesses from using the agreement and to improve access to information on its benefits.
Professor Paul Nugent, Founder and Chairman of the African Borderlands Research Network, said the gap between policy commitments and implementation remained a major concern in regional integration.
Prof Nugent said research was necessary to establish why agreements and policies were not producing the expected results on the ground.
He noted that understanding the experiences of traders and communities in border areas would help policymakers develop practical interventions that respond to their needs.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Email: [email protected]