Third World Network holds conference on WTO declaration
Accra (Greater Accra) 05 October 2001- The Basare Yam Farmers, Producers and Sellers
Association at Haatso, near Madina in Accra, on Thursday appealed to the government to lift the ban on the exportation of yam.
A statement issued by the association in Accra and signed by its chairman, Mr Napor Abdulai, said this would arrest the glut on the market.
The association noted with concern that the ban has not only led to a decrease in the sale of yams but has also led to the glut with large quantities getting rotten.
The statement said the ban, coupled with an increase in transport fares, have negatively affected the income levels of yam dealers.
They appealed to the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to assist members to cart the harvested yams from the hinterlands to the market centres to reduce the rate of spoilage.
The association expressed the hope that the lifting of the ban and the provision of more transport facilities would ensure fair prices and attract more youth into farming.
They further appealed to the banks to grant them credit facilities to enable them to expand their farms and further appealed for a scholarship scheme for their wards.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 October 2001-The African Regional Secretariat of Third World Network (TWN) on Thursday said none of the trade arrangements of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) favours African countries.
"Consensus reached at these meetings rather aim at limiting Africa's access to the markets of developed countries whilst opening the continent to goods and services of the developed countries''.
Dr Yao Graham, Coordinator of the TWN, said this at a press conference to sensitise the public on Africa's position on the world trading systems.
It was also to discuss the draft ministerial declaration to be adopted by African Ministers at the forthcoming WTO trade ministerial conference in Doha, Qatar next month.
The draft is the first attempt by the chairman of the WTO General Council, aided by the organisation's Director-General, to get members to discuss a text that can be adopted.
Dr Graham said the draft declaration is disappointing, because it does not meet the demands of global civil society that has been asking for the correction of all the imbalances and problems generated by the present WTO systems and rules.
Dr Graham said the overwhelming views of civil society, as elaborated in joint statements such as: "No New Round, Turnaround", "WTO: Shrink or Sink" and "Our World Is Not For Sale", make it important for a fundamental review of the rules and operations of the WTO.
"The operations of WTO have caused such damaging problems as high prices for medicine, bio-piracy and threats to the livelihoods of small farmers and firms."
He said the draft gives the appearance of a "clean text" which only tries to hide the disagreements among WTO members especially from developing countries.
Dr. Abdul-Nash Issahaku, Programme Officer of the TWN, said due to lack of transparency in the dealings of the WTO, a section of Nigeria's Parliament is considering to back out of the organisation.
He said the Doha meeting must address the disastrous effects of the current existing agreements on African economies instead of the introduction of new issues and urged developed countries to fulfil their obligations under the existing agreements.
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