GNA Launches Multimedia Campaign to Promote China-Ghana Zero-Tariff Trade

Accra: Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, the General Manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), has announced plans to launch targeted multimedia campaigns in support of China's zero-tariff trade policy with Ghana and other African countries. This initiative seeks to explain the policy's implications for Ghanaian businesses and citizens through various media formats. According to Ghana News Agency, the campaign will include publishing articles, producing infographics, creating videos, and releasing podcasts to clarify the practical aspects of the zero-tariff policy. The policy, which started on May 1, 2026, covers 53 countries and will last until April 30, 2028. It aims to enhance the commercial viability of African goods in the Chinese market, making exports cheaper and more competitive. China, Africa's largest trading partner, recorded bilateral trade reaching approximately US$348 billion in 2025. The zero-tariff policy is expected to rebalance Africa's raw material export trade, incentivize value-added processing, and raise profit margins for manufacturers, thereby strengthening China-Africa economic ties. In an interview with China's Global Television Network (CGTN), Mr Owusu described the policy as transformative for Ghana's trade growth and economic diversification. The multimedia campaigns aim to demystify the policy's workings, address challenges like quality control, and amplify success stories of Ghanaian businesses. Beyond digital content, GNA plans to host workshops and conduct interviews with public officials to ensure the policy's benefits translate into actionable intelligence for exporters. The agency also seeks partnerships with local media outlets to increase awareness at the regional and community levels. Key areas for Ghana to focus on include cocoa derivatives, shea products, cashew, timber, and light manufactures. These sectors could benefit from a shift towards exporting value-added goods, creating more jobs domestically. Mr Owusu urged African media to invest in data-driven reporting and build coll aborative platforms to highlight mutual benefits of the zero-tariff arrangement. He emphasized the importance of joint China-Africa news exchanges to counter imbalanced global narratives. He pointed to Chinese investments in Ghana's power sector, aviation, and manufacturing as examples of successful partnerships. By tapping into synergies created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), African media can portray the China-Africa relationship as a partnership focused on sustainable development. The China policy, effective from May 1, grants Africa's biggest economies tariff-free access to its market for two years. It covers Africa's 20 largest economies, excluding Eswatini due to its diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The policy supports China's strategy to diversify supply chains and encourage African industrialization. Goods covered under the policy include agricultural products like coffee, avocados, nuts, tea, cocoa, apples, wine, and raw materials such as iron ore, manganese, rare earths, cobalt, and crude oil.