Fiifi Boafo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the Akufo-Addo administration’s previous consideration of BRICS membership cannot, by itself, justify the Mahama government’s decision to apply to join the bloc.
Boafo, a member of the NPP Communications Team, said the Minority in Parliament was seeking answers from Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa rather than rejecting BRICS membership outright.
“There is a clear distinction between consideration and taking decisions. In government, there will be other reasons; I think that it’s not a justification for the decision the government has taken. It was a good reference, but I do not think it is a justification,” he said.
Speaking on Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, October 10, Boafo said the potential consequences of joining BRICS needed to be properly assessed.
“The minority has not said that they are totally opposed to joining BRICS. Taking this decision, you need to be mindful of its implications,” he added.
He also questioned how membership could affect Ghana’s role as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Ghana hosts AfCFTA; will there be an effect on AfCFTA when we get to BRICS? These are some of the questions that are being asked,” Boafo said.
His comments followed a response from Ablakwa to concerns raised by the Minority over Cabinet’s decision to support Ghana’s formal application. The minister accused the Minority of applying double standards.
Ablakwa said the Akufo-Addo administration had previously examined the possibility of joining BRICS and reached a similar conclusion to the current government.
“Akufo-Addo considered BRICS members’ advice and set up a ministerial committee to look at this. Their report is available. The Akufo-Addo government came to the same conclusion that President Mahama has come to,” he said.
Quoting from the report produced under the Akufo-Addo government, Ablakwa said: “It is recommended that Ghana acknowledge the importance of the vision that gave birth to BRICS and express prospective interest in joining the bloc.”
He argued that the Minority should have acknowledged that the previous administration had also considered the issue and arrived at the same position.
The Minority has called for an urgent briefing in Parliament before Ghana proceeds with its application. It wants MPs to examine the economic, diplomatic and national-interest consequences of full membership.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told Citi News that BRICS membership could offer Ghana alternative sources of financing and expand its international partnerships. However, he warned that the decision could also create risks for the country’s national interests.
“We acknowledge that this decision may come with some benefits to our country but in the same token, there are far reaching implications which may be adverse to the national interest of our country,” he said.
Jinapor said Ghana’s foreign policy should be driven primarily by national interests. He also questioned why Ghana was not considering an arrangement similar to Nigeria, a BRICS partner country and member of the New Development Bank.
He called for Parliament to assess the conditions attached to BRICS financing and determine whether full membership would improve Ghana’s financial independence.
“We think that the Foreign Affairs Minister, once parliament resumes, ought to brief the house as a matter of urgency to set out the full details of this decision and the full contours of our potential relationship with BRICS, and what the implications will be on our national economy, our national interest, and Ghana’s standing in the international community given the decision that has been taken,” he said.
BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and aims to promote economic, political and diplomatic cooperation among its members.
