The West African economic bloc has suspended the
decision for two months pending the resolution of technical problems raised by
some member-countries of the community, notably Nigeria.
EJN in a statement noted the decision by the Heads of State
affords all stake-holders in all countries of ECOWAS the opportunity for
meaningful dialogue on fundamental issues of economic development of the region
and its people that have been raised by the agreement.
“We welcome in particular the formation of a
four-country technical committee to examine the technical concerns of
member-countries, and urge the countries concerned to open the process up for
genuine in-put by all ECOWAS citizens. And we are willing and ready to support
the committee, in particular Ghana’s role in the committee, with our skills,
capacities and resources to enable development-friendly outcomes,” it said.
According to the Network, the ECOWAS-EPA on the table
will undermine government revenue, eliminate jobs, destroy local production, jeopardise
the industrial prospects of member countries, constrain South-South
co-operation, and undermine sovereign capacity to make policy to enable
development.
Ghana’s Minister of Trade and Industry has indicated
resolve to conduct a thorough fiscal audit of the EPAs before Ghana’s agreement
to adopt it.
The EJN is urging government to facilitate an open,
inclusive and meaningful process of national consultation of all stakeholders
in Ghana.
The Network also calls on President John Dramani Mahama
to use his role as President of the Authority of Heads of State and Government
of ECOWAS “to ensure that the opportunities provided by the decision for the
re-think of the EPA are fruitfully exercised in support of the genuine development,
economic transformation and integration of our region”.
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