EPAs might do the trick for ECOWAS’ industrialisation – Hanna Tetteh

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BALLOT PAPER 11 years ago

And what influences such a position? Empty talk

And what influences such a position? Empty talk
KWAKU 11 years ago

It will not help West Africa. AGOA gives us more opportunities than the EPA, and AGOA has less restrictions. How come the EU is looking for duty-free and tariff-free access to Ecowas markets, but will not grant us the same d ...
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It will not help West Africa. AGOA gives us more opportunities than the EPA, and AGOA has less restrictions. How come the EU is looking for duty-free and tariff-free access to Ecowas markets, but will not grant us the same duty-free and tariff-free access in the EPA. If you want to know how industrialized West Africa is going to be as a result of the EPA, the simple answer is to look at the new EU countries from eastern Europe. Bulgaria is a good example; how much development have they realized as a result of joining the EU? The EU is not going to invest $50 million to establish a clinker plant so that the EU would lose the hundreds of millions of dollars in yearly exports of clinker to West Africa. The EU is only looking for a place to dump their inferior and surplus products and produce. The amount of money needed to raise Ecowas standards to the EU's specifications may exceed what we currently are gaining from our meager exports.

The EPA promises West Africa US$6.5 billion over a five year period to "put things" right and get the member-countries' economy ready for competition. This US$6.5 billion divided among the 16 WA countries over a five-year period equates to about US$82 million a year. For giving West Africa this "tip", the trade pact eliminates almost all tariffs on EU exports. This US$6.5 billion could be the tariffs collected by Nigeria or Ghana from EU imports per year. This makes the amount suggested condescending and insulting. For those with short memory, just the importation of two or three shipments of frozen chicken from China was enough to significantly disturb the poultry industry in Ghana; this agreement will kill all local industries that the president is trying to promote.

The manufacturers of the shoes the president was promoting will be no where if the agreement is signed. The local fishing industry will cease to exit. No local industry will be immune from extinction, because there are no protections for them.

Taiwanese students are demonstrating and occupying government buildings, because of a very limited trade pact with China; this pact only covers a small portion of the service sector of the economy. See the March 30, 2014 edition of The Guardian on the web.

For those wanting to know more about the EPA and the reason(s) not to get anywhere close to it, please read the link to this article about the stance taken by Nigeria. I can only say that I am proud of Nigeria. At least they have business people who can think beyond their nose. Google Nigeria Delayed Signing EU-Ecowas Trade-Liberalisation Pact (Minister Aganga)

Ghanaian leaders, from both parties, cannot say no because those making the decision have no clue, and those who know that this is a bad pact have no balls. The only way to stop this is to have the Ghanaian students demonstrate and agitate as persistently as the Taiwanese students are doing. This is how to bring the government's attention to the problems the students will be left with, and let the authorities "grow" some balls.
Africanus 11 years ago

EPA did not say EU is seeking free access to ECOWAS market but will not grant the same to West Africa. Both EU and ECOWAS will have the same access to each other's market. Those who are opposing argue that ECOWAS countries ar ...
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EPA did not say EU is seeking free access to ECOWAS market but will not grant the same to West Africa. Both EU and ECOWAS will have the same access to each other's market. Those who are opposing argue that ECOWAS countries are not in a position to compete against a powerful EU, and that West African industries will perish in the face of cheap European goods. Which are all true, but where I disagree with those who oppose the EPA is that with or without the EPA West Africans are not in a position to compete favourably anyways. I think that in the long run EPA will be beneficial to West Africa, as European companies will establish branches in West African to take advantage of cheap labour to manufacture and then turn around to export them to Europe. The advantages will include, creating jobs for west Africans, greater purchasing power for west Africans, lessons in manufacturing knowhow will be acquired by west Africans. As well as greater managerial knowledge for West Africans. In short I say the long run prospects looks good. I think ECOWAS should sign.
Concerned Ghanaian 11 years ago

@Africanus. I doublt very much if EU countries will establish branches in West Africa. They will never do it. Their aim is to maintain West Africa and for that matter Africa as agric. countries.

@Africanus. I doublt very much if EU countries will establish branches in West Africa. They will never do it. Their aim is to maintain West Africa and for that matter Africa as agric. countries.
The Mask 11 years ago

Any agreement which would tie the hands of successive governments must be discussed at length by the potential successive leaders.

It must be sent to parliament house and the school of Economics of the University of Ghana ...
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Any agreement which would tie the hands of successive governments must be discussed at length by the potential successive leaders.

It must be sent to parliament house and the school of Economics of the University of Ghana for further deliberation. The MPs (representatives) must consult their constituents.

I have no doubt in my mind of the fruitlessness of this agreement. Europeans are not altruistic. As Americans say pull up by your own bootstraps. They are seeking their welfare first. A fact which must not be lost on us.

We have to think for ourselves. We must not play second fiddle to any economic bloc. The neocolonialists would not have their way.

There is a more elegant solution awaiting the prudent seeker.
GHANAIAN 11 years ago

DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE CALL CAPITAL FLIGHT? THE MONEY THEY EARN DOES NOT STAY IN THE SUB-REGION; THEY LITERALLY TAKE EVERYTHING AWAY. PLEASE!!! Only a few months ago, you surely remember what happened and is even still happening ...
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DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE CALL CAPITAL FLIGHT? THE MONEY THEY EARN DOES NOT STAY IN THE SUB-REGION; THEY LITERALLY TAKE EVERYTHING AWAY. PLEASE!!! Only a few months ago, you surely remember what happened and is even still happening to the Ghanaian economy.
KWAKU 11 years ago

Aficanus, the examples you gave are the reasons ECOWAS should not sign the agreement. One of the main requirements in the EPA is for ECOWAS to grant 75% - 80% of its markets unfettered access to the EU and make the EU produc ...
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Aficanus, the examples you gave are the reasons ECOWAS should not sign the agreement. One of the main requirements in the EPA is for ECOWAS to grant 75% - 80% of its markets unfettered access to the EU and make the EU products and produce 100% duty- and tariff-free. The EU is "encouraging" ECOWAS not to collect any taxes at the source, but collect them at the destination; in other words, the EU will not pay any duties or tariffs but those will be born by the poor Africans. In exchange, the EU will give every ECOWAS country $82 million a year for five years; you may not, but I do find that suggestion condescending and insulting.

About the establishment of factories and the like, please look to Bulgaria and Greece. They are EU members; they have relatively cheap labor. To your other points, I suggest you take a look at the Taiwan article; Taiwan is fairly developed. Also, read the response from Nigeria. Again, inform yourself about how much we have been able to take advantage of AGOA. Have you thought about the fact that with prudence and steadfastness ECOWAS can reach beyond what the EPA uncertainly proposes in less time with more certainty?

The Francophone countries have had this kind of agreement with France for over thirty years. Tell me which of these Francophone countries you would take over Ghana? Let's look at these types of agreements more critically.
GHANAIAN 11 years ago

Well said, Kwaku. In addition to this explanation, I think the EU has already made its calculations and knows that if over 50 years after independence, Africa has not been able to industrialize in order to compete with other ...
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Well said, Kwaku. In addition to this explanation, I think the EU has already made its calculations and knows that if over 50 years after independence, Africa has not been able to industrialize in order to compete with other economic blocks, then they can be sure that the 20 years that this agreement is supposed to last will only be in their sole interest. Secondly and more importantly, the term "EU Standards" is just sufficient to refuse the entry of some of our value-added goods into the EU market. NEXT TIME, AFRICA SHOULD WRITE A TRADE AGREEMENT FOR THE WEST TO SIGN.
Ghfuo, change ur thinking 11 years ago

The fat is obviously constipation the free flow of blood needed to stimulate her brain.no wonder she is talking foolishness.she needs to go to the gym and work out, ride the bike, do yoga. Dumb broad!

The fat is obviously constipation the free flow of blood needed to stimulate her brain.no wonder she is talking foolishness.she needs to go to the gym and work out, ride the bike, do yoga. Dumb broad!
richard 11 years ago

We should be guided by the collective decision. There is no point Ghana signing with the other smaller economies, without getting Nigeria on board

We should be guided by the collective decision. There is no point Ghana signing with the other smaller economies, without getting Nigeria on board

Africanus 11 years ago

Ghana can go ahead and sign with other ECOWAS countries without Nigeria. The way I see it, Nigeria is holding the whole of West Africa hostage. Because Nigeria has a huge population, it can afford to close her doors to manufa ...
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Ghana can go ahead and sign with other ECOWAS countries without Nigeria. The way I see it, Nigeria is holding the whole of West Africa hostage. Because Nigeria has a huge population, it can afford to close her doors to manufactured goods from other west African countries. Nigeria gains while other ECOWAS economies sink for lack of market to sell their manufactured products. It is in this context that I think the rest of West Africa need an open EU market. Nigeria is being selfish.
Nana Oben 11 years ago

You say "--------for lack of market to sell their manufactured products.----".
What "manufactured products" are you talking about, and to what standards do we manufacture or produce? K bet we don't even have Quality Control ...
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You say "--------for lack of market to sell their manufactured products.----".
What "manufactured products" are you talking about, and to what standards do we manufacture or produce? K bet we don't even have Quality Control Standards such as ISO 9000, etc. AND Quality professionals to assure our products for international acceptance.
Africanus 11 years ago

That is why we need regional trading blocks like ECOWAS to serve as domestic markets in the short run, while we buy time to improve the quality of our products to international standards. Unfortunately, Nigeria thinks it can ...
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That is why we need regional trading blocks like ECOWAS to serve as domestic markets in the short run, while we buy time to improve the quality of our products to international standards. Unfortunately, Nigeria thinks it can bully other ECOWAS members.
Ghfuo, change ur thinking 11 years ago

Naija is not.bullying anyone. They don't want any part of the epa so they can collaborate with like minded Ecowas nations into doing wat you have just stated. U call this bullying, Africans? It's about numbers and how much mo ...
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Naija is not.bullying anyone. They don't want any part of the epa so they can collaborate with like minded Ecowas nations into doing wat you have just stated. U call this bullying, Africans? It's about numbers and how much money and time you are willing to invest. Any nation in the Ecowas region that commits to these will assume the leadership responsibility here.
Ghfuo, change ur thinking 11 years ago

Wat is ur problem? Naija isnot being selfish. All gh needs to do is export.to at least 3 nations inn ecowas and they don't naija. It's a global marketplace. If naija refuses to invite importers. Wat do u think will happen to ...
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Wat is ur problem? Naija isnot being selfish. All gh needs to do is export.to at least 3 nations inn ecowas and they don't naija. It's a global marketplace. If naija refuses to invite importers. Wat do u think will happen to naija products? Use urbrain
JK 11 years ago

AFRICANUS YOU ARE NOT MAKING SENSE.IT LOOKS LIKE YOU FEAR THE NIGERIANS MORE THAN YOU FEAR THE WHITE MAN.I CAN SEE INFERIORITY COMPLEX WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE.

AFRICANUS YOU ARE NOT MAKING SENSE.IT LOOKS LIKE YOU FEAR THE NIGERIANS MORE THAN YOU FEAR THE WHITE MAN.I CAN SEE INFERIORITY COMPLEX WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE.
DAN 11 years ago

yank these idiots from office before they destroy the ghana economy for 20 years!

yank these idiots from office before they destroy the ghana economy for 20 years!
Goateater 11 years ago

Nigeria is now Africa's biggest economy because of the sane and protectionist policies promoted and defended by its govt. Why Hannah Tetteh keeps blabbing about issues she does not understand is confusing. We have ministers o ...
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Nigeria is now Africa's biggest economy because of the sane and protectionist policies promoted and defended by its govt. Why Hannah Tetteh keeps blabbing about issues she does not understand is confusing. We have ministers of TRADE and ECONOMICS who are better suited for this discussion, so please leave the issue to them. Or it that because she is half white, she has divided loyalties, and trying to bamboozle Ghana into forsaking its sovereignty and future development? She is better ignored.
Africanus 11 years ago

Nigeria has a huge domestic market so it can afford to engage in protectionism, Ghana cannot do the same with 25 million people. We need the ECOWAS market to grow our industries. I will say it again - Nigeria is being selfish ...
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Nigeria has a huge domestic market so it can afford to engage in protectionism, Ghana cannot do the same with 25 million people. We need the ECOWAS market to grow our industries. I will say it again - Nigeria is being selfish.
Goateater 11 years ago

The size of a country's domestic market has minimal affect on its overall development. Look at sparse countries like S. Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Israel, Singapore, and indeed many Euro countries. They are where they are not beca ...
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The size of a country's domestic market has minimal affect on its overall development. Look at sparse countries like S. Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Israel, Singapore, and indeed many Euro countries. They are where they are not because of any large domestic markets. What it takes in nationalism, determination, prudent economics, and wise leadership.

Africanus 11 years ago

All the countries you mentioned have unfettered access to the US, EU and other major markets. Once they engage in protectionism the major markets they trade with will retaliate... and their economies will suffer. It is trade ...
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All the countries you mentioned have unfettered access to the US, EU and other major markets. Once they engage in protectionism the major markets they trade with will retaliate... and their economies will suffer. It is trade that makes industrialization work... If Ghana produce phones we have to have a market to sell them. 25 million people is not enough to sustain major industrialization over the long run, we need to seek market elsewhere. Nigeria, however, does not, in the short term, because they have close to 150 million people to sell to domestically. Countries seek free trade agreements because they seek to have unfettered access to other markets in order to sustain their industries and expand their production capacities.
KANAWU 11 years ago

INDUSTRIALIZATION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EPA. AFRICANS CAN EVEN TRADE AMONG THEMSELVES. THE FACT, OUR LEADERS SHOULD START TO EMBARK ON INDUSTRIALIZATION. WITHOUT INDUSTRIALIZATION, AFRICAN COUNTRIES WILL ALWAYS BE UNDER-DEVE ...
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INDUSTRIALIZATION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EPA. AFRICANS CAN EVEN TRADE AMONG THEMSELVES. THE FACT, OUR LEADERS SHOULD START TO EMBARK ON INDUSTRIALIZATION. WITHOUT INDUSTRIALIZATION, AFRICAN COUNTRIES WILL ALWAYS BE UNDER-DEVELOPED AND OUR LEADERS WILL ACT LIKE PRES. MAHAMO.. GOING AROUND THE WORLD AND BEGGING FOR MONEY TO DEVELOP GOLD COAST WITH ALL ITS MINERALS AND OIL. WE NEED A BRAIN SCAN, ALL OF US. WE WANT THE WHITE MAN TO COME TO AFRICA AND DEVELOP OUR COUNTRIES FOR US FOR NOTHING? HMMM... OR SHOULD I SAY, TWEAAAA!
GHANAIAN 11 years ago

Diplomacy on display. EPA 'might' do the trick...This is not an affirmation but rather a clue that the minister is not too sure, although it is an open support for the signing of this agreement.

Diplomacy on display. EPA 'might' do the trick...This is not an affirmation but rather a clue that the minister is not too sure, although it is an open support for the signing of this agreement.
ANOTHER AFRICAN PATRIOT 11 years ago

I bet you don't understand what you are recommending. EPA is economic enslavement by the whiteman. ECOWAS has a population of 300 million with all the natural resources. We should be drafting an agreement for the EU to sig ...
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I bet you don't understand what you are recommending. EPA is economic enslavement by the whiteman. ECOWAS has a population of 300 million with all the natural resources. We should be drafting an agreement for the EU to sign. African leaders like you are a disgrace to our race.
Aku 11 years ago

A whole minister who is advocating for us to sign our sovereignty away for the next 20 years isn't sure it will benefit ecowas industrialization ambitions so she uses the SURE.
When did we stoop this low to deserve such peo ...
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A whole minister who is advocating for us to sign our sovereignty away for the next 20 years isn't sure it will benefit ecowas industrialization ambitions so she uses the SURE.
When did we stoop this low to deserve such people handling the GOLD COAST?
Nana Yaw 11 years ago

Haven't you seen that most of our lady ministers have big bottoms? It does not matter whether they can do the job or not. AND WE ALL KNOW THESE BIG BOTTOMED WOMEN MINISTERS ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN AMASSING AT LEAST ONE MILLION ...
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Haven't you seen that most of our lady ministers have big bottoms? It does not matter whether they can do the job or not. AND WE ALL KNOW THESE BIG BOTTOMED WOMEN MINISTERS ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN AMASSING AT LEAST ONE MILLION US DOLLARS
HAZOR 11 years ago

Signing EPA will not do no trick for ECOWAS industrialisation but rather a recipe for disaster.The U.S,Canada and Mexico has similar partnership and the U.S government has force all it citizens that has jobs in Canada to re-l ...
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Signing EPA will not do no trick for ECOWAS industrialisation but rather a recipe for disaster.The U.S,Canada and Mexico has similar partnership and the U.S government has force all it citizens that has jobs in Canada to re-locate back to U.S soil for tax free deal.If you folks thinks am making it up research LOVAT TURNING/CAT,STELCO/U.S Steels just to mension two and there more companies and industries that close their businesses and re-location to U.S and the only thing they might be interested in is cable and mobile phone service business because there is no production involve and is only service provider.Hannah Tetteh is lying.
Ebo Africaba 11 years ago

Another black African fool who thinks that only white people can save and bring development to Africa. Europe needs Africa more than Africa needs Europe. The bitch is crazy.

Another black African fool who thinks that only white people can save and bring development to Africa. Europe needs Africa more than Africa needs Europe. The bitch is crazy.
Kwame 11 years ago

Madam: it is disappointing that, Ghana as a country has not done any impact assessment of the EPA on our local economy so far; and we seem to be tagging along with ECOWAS.

It is really pathetic that you do not speak withf ...
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Madam: it is disappointing that, Ghana as a country has not done any impact assessment of the EPA on our local economy so far; and we seem to be tagging along with ECOWAS.

It is really pathetic that you do not speak withfacts and figures on this all important issue. "EPA might do the trick"? Your defence as a minister should not be founded on hope, but a sound economic impact assessment.

What a shame!

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EPAs might do the trick for ECOWAS’ industrialisation – Hanna Tetteh

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