General News of Monday, 24 March 2014

Source: xyz

Group petitions Mahama over EPA deal

Members of the Economic Justice Network including the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Christian Council of Ghana have urged President Mahama to reconsider his decision in the State of the Nation’s Address to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

In a petition to the President on Monday ahead of the ECOWAS Council of Minister on Tuesday in Ivory Coast, the network advised the president to seek the interest of Ghana first.

The group will also address a press conference to indicate the number of businesses and jobs that will be affected if the EPA is signed.

ISODEC’s Policy Analyst, Bernard Anaba, in an interview with XYZ Business said government’s haste to sign the EPA will spell doom for the Ghanaian economy.

“The consequences are dire. It is something that will run into several years of economic partnership. If this is not well debated and done well, we may end up having a case of Ukraine on our hands in the future”.

He added that the EPA conflicts with the president’s campaign for patronage of made in Ghana goods hence their decision to petition him.