The West African Regional Director of CUTS, Appiah Kusi Adomako, has described the 10% tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump on Ghana as an opportunity for the country to deepen intra-African trade and strengthen its economic resilience.

His comments come in the wake of Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs, including a 10% tax on Ghanaian imports, a 34% levy on Chinese goods, and a 20% tax on European Union products—a move that has escalated global trade tensions.

Speaking in response to Trump’s latest tariff policies, on Eyewitness News on April 3, 2025, Adomako emphasised the need for Ghana and other African nations to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to mitigate the economic impact of the tariffs.

“One way we can navigate this is if we can deepen our intra-African trade. We have the AfCFTA, which is projected to give us close to $3.5 trillion market if we can learn to trade among ourselves and even find alternative trading partners, I think we may be able to navigate in the short to medium term,” he stated.

Beyond Africa’s response to the tariffs, Adomako also critiqued Trump’s approach, warning that his policies could have unintended economic consequences for the United States.

He explained that labour costs in the United States are significantly higher than in China, which could result in higher production costs and increased prices for consumers.

“There are some other things that Trump did not consider. Bringing jobs to America is good, and every country wants to create jobs, but the approach Trump is using may, in the short term, create some inflationary pressures. This is because if you come to a job in the US, the minimum wage will be high.

“In China, the minimum wage could be about $5, but if you bring the same job into America, you will end up paying about $200 and that means that the final consumer will be the one who will pay more. So, America should embrace itself for a stormy economic weather,” he stated.