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‘AfCFTA needs grassroots engagement to succeed’
By John Eche
‘AfCFTA needs grassroots engagement to succeed’
The African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA requires a heavy dose of grassroots engagement if it is to succeed and thrive.
This is the submission of a panel of African professionals living and doing business in countries other than their home nations who had been called together by The Difference Newspaper to share their experiences on living and working outside their home nations and to make projections on what is to be expected even as the #AfCFTA process gets onto the operationalisation phase in the next 16 weeks.
The panel included the education and tourism services provider, Paul Anthony Akamiokhor, the financial consultant, Michael Oyemade and the sociologist and media worker, Tony Opara. It was moderated by the editor of The Difference newspapers, Mr. Richard Mammah
According to the panel, a lot needs to be done at the grassroots level to get the message through.
Notable among the concerns raised by the assembled panelists are the imperative of different African states increasing advocacy and communication on the presence and essence of the scheme while also looking into their law books with a view to revising and streamlining laws that impede free movement and trade among Africans within the continent.
‘PAUL A AKAMIOKHOR
@PAULANTHONYA
·
Aug 25
#AfricanExpatsinAfrica I am not impressed with AfCfta and I am of the opinion that they are not serious with their vision and mission. While the Chinese are taking over Africa, the AU countries are still restricting freedoms for their fellow Africans. Visas, taxes, etc.’
‘chimaonyeonye opara
@boyci2
Aug 25
African political leaders are mostly incompetent and this is showing in any regional economic integration. There are Africans working for international organizations and doing well. They should be called in to assist’
‘PAUL A AKAMIOKHOR
@PAULANTHONYA
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Aug 25
#AfricanExpatsinAfrica May I plead with all AU leaders to agree and implement policy changes and visa-free regimes for all Africans. The west is capitalizing on our brain and developing their economies to the detriment of the motherland. We can solve our problems by ourselves!’
The African Continental Free Trade Area would come into its operational stage from January 1, 2021. The scheme which has since been endorsed by 54 of Africa’s 55 states has equally been ratified in 30 of the signing states. Eritrea is the only African nation yet to sign the agreement setting off the process.
The discussions were held on the Twitter handle of the pan-African newspaper: @differencenews1 and around the hashtag: #AfricanExpatsinAfrica.
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