Ghana Trade Commission ready to support local industries

The Ghana International Trade Commission will adopt the necessary measures in the law to support local industries whose performance are being undermined by subsidised imported products, Mr Frank Agyekum, the Executive Secretary of the Commission has said.

Speaking at a workshop held in Accra for private stakeholders, Mr Agyekum said the Commission would apply the Legislative Instruments on Subsidies, Countervailing and Safeguard Measures to secure the interest of the domestic market from subsidised products from countries of origin.

He said the World Trade Organization frowned on such subsidies, therefore, the Commission had the right to look into such matters and make offenders face the law.

Mr Kofi Amenyah, a Legal Consultant of GITC, said any Ghanaian industry affected by a subsidy had the right to send a petition to the Commission and state the extent of damage caused to the industry by that subsidy.

He said the Commission would then undertake investigations to gather sufficient evidence concerning the price undercutting experienced by the Ghanaian industry, the market share of the subsidised imports and its impact on the domestic market.

The Lawyer explained that prior to the initiation of an investigation, the Commission would notify the Government of the exporting country to discuss the petitions and allegations brought against their product and allow them to respond to them.

He said the company whose product had been subsidised would also be invited to clarify the matters brought against them in order to arrive at a mutually satisfying solution.

Safeguard measures are emergency actions taken with respect to increased imports of particular products where such imports have caused or threatened to cause the collapse of a domestic industry.

Section 24 of the Act mandates the Commission to institute safeguard investigations in response to a significant and rapid increase in a foreign product in the local market.

The Lawyer said depending on the severity of the damage caused to the local market, the Commission could apply a provisional measure in the form of an increased tariff for not more than six months, during which an investigation would be carried out.

Nana Dr Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of GITC, for his part, said the Commission had worked to bring about the considerations of legislative provisions and instruments related to dumping and anti-dumping duties, tariffs and customs evaluation of imported goods.

He said the private sector had been in eager for their interests to be attended to, hence the setting up of the Commission to meet their needs.

He urged stakeholders to take up the roles set forth in the legislative instruments to help the Commission achieve its aims.