Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has called on President John Dramani Mahama and other African heads of state to directly intervene in the United States’ decision to impose a 10% tariff on Ghanaian exports.
The Ofoase-Ayirebi Member of Parliament made the appeal in a Facebook post, stressing that while current diplomatic efforts by Ghanaian ministers are commendable, more decisive leadership is needed at the highest levels.
“It is welcoming that a number of ministers are engaging the US ambassador on the matter of the 10% tariffs on Ghana after calls from Ghana,” he wrote. “Importantly however, the President and his colleague Presidents in affected African countries will have to take this up to ensure that Ghana and Africa aren’t negatively hit by the obviously negative impact that these tariffs will have on the Ghanaian and African economies. Time to act is NOW!!”
His remarks come shortly after Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, held a closed-door meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer.
The over-an-hour-long meeting addressed the implications of the tariffs and possible strategies to mitigate their effects.
Following the meeting, Ambassador Palmer reassured Ghanaians that the longstanding relationship between Ghana and the United States remains intact.
“I had a great conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and we talked about how the relationship with Ghana is very strong, and how we can keep it going that way. We also discussed the details of the tariffs and explored ways the United States and Ghana can strengthen their partnership,” she stated.
As economic anxieties rise over the potential fallout of the tariff policy, many are closely watching the next moves from Ghana’s leadership and the broader African diplomatic front.
