Kojo Oppong Nkrumah applauds ministers’ diplomacy on US tariffs

Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah is urging President John Dramani Mahama and other African leaders to engage the U.S. This follows the U.S. decision to impose a 10% tariff on Ghanaian exports.

In a statement on Facebook, Nkrumah welcomed Ghanaian ministers' efforts with the U.S. ambassador. However, he stressed that Africa's top leaders must act quickly.

He stated, “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 added, "The President and his fellow Presidents in affected countries must take this up.”

Nkrumah emphasized that these tariffs could harm Ghana and Africa's economies. He concluded, “Time to act is NOW!”

His comments followed a closed-door meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and U.S. Ambassador Virginia Palmer. The meeting lasted over an hour and discussed the tariff's potential impact.

Ambassador Palmer reassured Ghanaians about the strong relationship between the U.S. and Ghana. After her meeting with Ablakwa, she expressed optimism about maintaining good ties.

She said, “I had a great conversation with the minister of foreign affairs.” She also mentioned discussing ways to improve relations despite the tariffs.