EPA Is A Disaster Waiting To Happen � Kwesi Pratt

The Managing Editor of The Insight Newspaper, Mr. Kwesi Pratt Jnr., says the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union is taking Ghana nowhere. He said �the EPA is a disaster waiting to happen and it will surely happen� we have made our voices heard, and we have warned that this EPA is leading us nowhere and that it will become a major impediment in our bid to industrialize�. The Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) heads of states have signed the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union. The agreement fully takes into account the differences in the level of development between the two regions. The EU will provide West African firms with conditions that are more advantageous than those that apply to European exports to Africa. In the negotiations, the EU committed itself to open its market to all West African products as soon as the agreement enters into force. In exchange, the EU accepted a partial and gradual opening of the West African market. Only if and when West Africa will be ready to grant more far-reaching concessions to the Europe's main competitors, will the EU be able to claim those same improvements. Under the terms of the agreement, West Africa will continue to be able to shield its sensitive agricultural products from European competition either by keeping tariffs in place or, when necessary, by imposing safeguard measures. To support local agricultural production, the EU has also agreed not to subsidise any of its agricultural exports to West Africa. West African companies will also have more flexibility to use foreign components while still benefitting from free access to the EU market. The EU will complement the market opening effort of the West African partners with a generous development assistance package. But speaking on Radio Gold�s current Affairs Program Alhaji and Alhaji with Alhassan Suhuyini Saturday, Mr. Pratt said the EPA will lead Ghana to revenue shortfalls and render the government unable to control the economy. �We are told that this will lead to improvement in our trade�we are told that this will provide the impetus for our development. We are waiting, and we shall all see the consequences�, he lamented.