Deputy Trade Minister, Sampson Ahi, has disclosed that President John Mahama has directed them to do everything within their power to resolve the controversial 10% tariff imposed on Ghana’s exports by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Bodi MP said the President considers the issue a matter of national interest and has given his full backing to any diplomatic and strategic effort needed to reverse the tariff, which many in Ghana see as unjustified.
“President John Mahama has tasked us to ensure that efforts have been made to ensure that this problem of Trump tariffs slapped on the country is addressed,” Mr Ahi revealed during the interview.
The Deputy Minister’s comments followed a high-level meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, earlier in the day.
The meeting was prompted by the Trump team’s decision to include cocoa—Ghana’s top export commodity—in a list of products targeted for new tariffs, even though the United States does not produce cocoa.
“I am sure that once we have his blessings if he has to intervene, he will certainly do,” Mr Ahi added, suggesting that the President himself is prepared to engage at the highest levels to protect Ghana’s economic interests.
He said the Ghanaian delegation questioned the logic behind targeting cocoa with a 10% tariff, especially as the U.S. has no domestic cocoa industry to protect.
“If you want to impose taxes on commodities to remain competitive, you would do that based on the commodities that you have a competitive advantage over us,” Ahi argued.
“The U.S. doesn’t produce cocoa, but they have slapped a 10% tariff on its exports.”
According to Ahi, Ambassador Palmer herself appeared taken aback by the inclusion of cocoa in the tariff scheme and suggested that Ghana pursue a resolution at a higher diplomatic level.
“She was surprised,” Ahi said.
“She felt that if we pursued it, a commodity like cocoa could be exempted from the 10% tariff. She thinks we should engage at a higher level—that is, bringing in the President at a top governmental level.”
Sampson Ahi said Ghana is not standing alone in this fight, as the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are also preparing to respond collectively.
“We also know that as Africans, we have agreed to fight this collectively. And so on the 14th of this month, AfCFTA is organizing a meeting with African trade ministers to look at this situation.”
He emphasized that Ghana would not relent in pursuing what he described as an “unfair” trade decision.
“This is a matter that affects our economy, our farmers, and our export earnings. We are not treating this lightly.”
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