The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) wishes to express its utmost displeasure at the Presidency following our exclusion from the recent Presidential Dialogue with the private sector convened by H.E. John Dramani Mahama.
We note the President’s call for bold partnerships to accelerate economic growth, his vision of positioning Ghana as West Africa’s production hub, and his encouragement to businesses to leverage the presence of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat to expand trade and industrialisation.
While we fully align with these objectives, it is deeply concerning that a key stakeholder such as the IEAG was once again not invited to participate in this critical national dialogue.
This is the second time such a Presidential Dialogue has been organised since the President assumed office a year ago without the inclusion of the IEAG. Following last year’s exclusion, we formally sought clarification and were informed that it was an error on the part of the Presidential team. The recurrence of the same situation this year makes it difficult for us to accept that this is merely an oversight.
The IEAG has, for the past eleven (11) years, played a significant role in shaping Ghana’s trade ecosystem, advocating policy reforms, facilitating cross-border trade, and supporting government initiatives aimed at economic growth. Our association was also pivotal in supporting the bold trade and economic policy direction of then candidate Mahama prior to the elections. It is therefore surprising and disappointing that an association of our stature continues to be sidelined.
We further find it troubling that this exclusion comes despite the fact that our Executive Secretary serves on the Presidential Committee on Accelerated Export Development, a clear recognition of our technical expertise and contribution to national trade strategy.
Importers and exporters are central to the success of the AfCFTA framework. According to estimates by institutions such as the World Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the AfCFTA has the potential to increase intra-African trade by over 50% through the reduction of tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Achieving this requires strong participation from businesses that facilitate the movement of goods across borders, build supply chains, and drive value addition roles that our members perform daily. Importers ensure access to critical raw materials, machinery, and intermediate goods necessary for industrial production, while exporters expand Ghanaian products into regional markets, enhance foreign exchange earnings, and support job creation. Excluding such a key constituency undermines the spirit of inclusive dialogue needed to realise the full benefits of AfCFTA.
While we do not wish to speculate, we hope that our recent principled positions and constructive opposition to certain government policies or directives are not factors influencing this repeated exclusion.
As we seek answers from the Presidency regarding what appears to be a deliberate omission by the organising team, we wish to remind the government that the doors of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana remain open for genuine engagement in the national interest. However, we will henceforth engage within a more defined and deliberate framework to ensure that the voices of our members are duly recognised and respected in matters affecting Ghana’s trade and economic future.
We remain committed to partnering with government and all stakeholders to advance policies that promote trade, industrialisation, and sustainable economic transformation.
Signed,
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Samson Asaki Awingobit
Executive Secretary
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