Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has assured Ghanaians that the Mahama administration will build the buffers Ghana needs to waistband the effects of the tariffs on Ghana and other countries announced by US President Donald Trump.
The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Agribusiness and Industry would continue t0 engage the USA authorities on how to mitigate and alleviate the effect of the 10% tariff imposed on Ghanaian exports to the US market.
This is the outcome of a meeting held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and the US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, in Accra on April 7.
This is contained in a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the release, “The US Ambassador indicated that the tariff did not maliciously target Ghana, but was intended to address the significant trade imbalances between the USA and its partners such as Ghana. The Ambassador, however, informed that the tariff is being imposed pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA).”
“She further intimated that the 10% tariff imposition exempts some products like oil and gas and energy related products that Ghana exports to the United States. It emerged that products exported under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) initiative are affected,” the Foreign Ministry disclosed.
“The meeting additionally discussed the possible exemption of other sectors, particularly with cocoa and garments. Both sides agreed to work together to mitigate challenges, including potential job losses,” it concluded.
In a subsequent post on his X page, Mr Ablakwa said, “A good first meeting on the 10% tariff imposed on Ghana by the US. We shall continue with fruitful engagements and seek more exemptions. Ultimately, President Mahama’s government will seek to strategically build the resilience and buffers Ghana needs.”
