Africa’s journey towards an integrated and prosperous continent attained an important milestone on May 30th, 2019 with its participation in the Agreement, establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The commercialization of Accra as the commercial capital of Africa by the President of the Republic of Ghana refers to improving intra-African trade in goods and services to accelerate a continental free trade area and transition it into a continental common external tariff scheme.
This provides a key pathway for regional trade integration as it seeks to improve rural infrastructure and trade-related capacities for market access to transform trade and sustain inclusive growth and also, by enhancing market and value chains. As part of the sensitization, Ghana International Trade & Finance Conference, (GITFiC) is embarking on a research survey primarily to assess the knowledge that the Ghanaian private and government sectors have on AfCFTA and ACCRA’s declaration as the COMMERCIAL CAPITAL OF AFRICA. This survey will take place in selected regional capitals namely; Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale, and Koforidua.
The survey would further assess the private sector’s readiness towards the implementation of the AfCFTA as well as provide a comprehensive and reliable information source to help the government, local authorities, and private economic sectors to build up socio-economic development plans to improve intra African trade. This initiative will generate a diagnostics report which would help to develop practical steps or a road map in addressing the gaps and challenges. The quality of the survey is greatly influenced by the information provided by the experienced field personnel.
A call for enumerators was publicly circulated in October and November 2021. More than 800 applications were received from the general public. The 800 applicants were narrowed down to 20 after a rigorous selection process. The 20 finalists were, in December 2021, taken through various preparatory stages. In January 2022, the 20 finalists have met all requirements and have been fully certified by us to carry out this assignment.
The two-page survey questionnaire has been carefully vetted to reflect the quality response we expect from the Business Community in these regions. Our field enumerators will reach out to about 6,000 Industries, Companies, and SMEs across the five selected regions in Ghana.
Officials believe that ”with a high responsible spirit, available enthusiasm, and a strong desire to contribute to the development of the country, the general public will kindly grant our field personnel the audience to fulfil their duties in the various establishments ear-marked for this exercise. The success of this survey will be partly due to the contribution of our field personnel”.
The public is being asked to cooperate with the field personnel for the task ahead.
Read Also: African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
