Claude Maerten, European Union Representative in Ghana was heckled by participants at the forum on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in Accra on Thursday.
The debate on the EPA has seen intense debate in the country with civil society groups like the ; Trades Union Congress, Association of Ghana Industries, Economic Justice Network and Third World Network all pushing for it’s objection.
The EU rep was prevented from speaking when he was introduced to respond to some teething concerns raised by some participants of the forum.
Leader of the protest against the EU leader speaking at the forum was the Coordinator of the Third World Network, Dr. Yao Graham.
The Third World Network is one of the civil society groups which has opposed the EPA over the years.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Dr Graham said the presence of the EU representative compromised the stake.
‘’The forum was supposed to be a national forum; a forum to allow Ghanaians and Ghanaian entities the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of the EPA,’’ he said.
Dr. Graham also said the EU rep had no business being in the meeting. ”There was nothing for the EU rep to explain to us, if there is a factual issue, it is our political leaders and the technical officers in the Ministry of Trade and Industry who owe us an accountability and resposibi9lity to come and explain to us.”
He said the forum was for Ghanaians and its entities to reflect among themselves the good and bad of the EPA
He added that Claude Maerten took for granted his freedom to ”walk around and sit in meetings of Ghanaian entities and to take the platform”.
Dr. Graham concluded by saying the civil society groups were ready to debate the EU on an appropriate platform. ”We are ready to debate the EU anywhere, any day in a forum defined as such, which is different from a forum of Ghanaian citizens and Ghanaian entities to discuss the impact of the EPA”.
”There should be a moment where Ghanaians can on their own have a shouting match with their Minister,having a shouting match among themselves without our political leaders feeling apologetic in relation to the EU,” he added.
The Economic Partnership Agreement will allow Ghana to have 100 percent access to the European market, except for rice and sugar, while EU countries will have 75 percent access to the Ghanaian market duty free and quota free.
By: Evans Effah/citifmonline.com/Ghana