The Cross-Border Women Traders Association Ghana has called on the government to ensure that imports conducted legally under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) are not included in the list of restricted goods, particularly rice and maize.
In a statement, the association said it acknowledges concerns raised by the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana regarding smuggling and unfair competition.
However, any move to restrict ETLS-compliant imports would undermine Ghana’s commitments to regional trade protocols and threaten the livelihoods of thousands of small-scale traders.
According to the statement, the ETLS was created to promote free movement of goods, strengthen intra-African trade, and support small and medium-sized businesses across West Africa.
The association stressed that conflating ETLS trade with smuggling could erode trust among ECOWAS member states and harm regional market access.
“ETLS-compliant imports follow established legal, customs, and quality-control procedures, unlike smuggled goods that bypass duties and inspections,” said Oscar Akaba-Norvixoxo, National Coordinator of the association.
The group warned that restricting such imports would have a disproportionate effect on women and youth engaged in legitimate cross-border trading, many of whom depend on ETLS to support their families and communities.
As part of its recommendations, the association urged the government to clearly separate illegal smuggling from legal ETLS trade in all policy communications, strengthen border surveillance to curb illicit imports, and facilitate smooth passage for compliant traders.
It also called for a multi-stakeholder dialogue that includes farmer groups, agribusiness chambers, and cross-border trade associations to develop a balanced framework that protects local farmers without breaching regional commitments.
The association reiterated its commitment to supporting national food security efforts but stressed that such policies must also safeguard regional cooperation and the economic survival of small traders.
Source: Adomonline
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