‘Jobs are going to be affected’ – Trade expert warns of fallout from Trump tariffs

West Africa Director for CUTS International, Appiah Kusi Adomako, has sounded the alarm over potential job losses in Ghana following the United States’ recent imposition of a 10% tariff on Ghanaian exports.

He warns that the decision could have severe consequences for local industries dependent on the American market.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition on Thursday, Mr Kusi Adomako did not mince words about the potential economic fallout.

“Jobs are going to be affected,” he stated bluntly. “International trade is going to reduce, and this will have serious implications for the global economy.”

He highlighted the direct impact of the tariffs on Ghanaian businesses that export goods to the U.S., particularly those operating under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

“Last year, I was in Koforidua,” he recalled.

“There’s an AGOA company there that produces garments on a contract basis for major U.S. brands like Walmart. With these tariffs in place, their competitiveness is going to be compromised, and we could see a situation where they start laying off workers.”

The uncertainty surrounding AGOA’s future further complicates the situation.

The agreement, which provides duty-free access for Ghanaian exports to the U.S., is set to expire this year.

“It is up for renewal, but I doubt whether the Trump administration would renew it,” Mr Kusi Adomako remarked. “Even if AGOA remains, it is unclear whether President Trump can use an executive instrument to restrict Ghana’s access.”

Beyond the immediate trade concerns, Adomako argued that this should serve as a wake-up call for Ghana to reduce its economic dependence on the U.S.

“This is a sign that we need to build resilience,” he stated.

“The Trump administration has shown that the U.S. can be unpredictable. Even Canada and the UK were not spared, so how much more Ghana?”

He urged the government to hold emergency meetings to craft a strategic response.

“I’m sure President Mahama and his cabinet should be having a crisis meeting right now to figure out how we can respond—not by putting tariffs on America, because that won’t work—but by finding alternative export markets.”

Mr Kusi Adomako pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a viable solution.

“The African market is here, and it comes with minimum restrictions on our products,” he explained.

“Of course, exporters prefer America because they get paid in dollars. But if you export goods to Mozambique, you still get dollars—you don’t get pesos.”

However, he acknowledged that poor trading infrastructure within Africa remains a major obstacle.

“Right now, if you want to ship goods from Ghana to Côte d’Ivoire, the ship has to go all the way to Madrid, Spain, before another ship brings it back to Côte d’Ivoire,” he revealed.

“This is because the logistics companies are owned by Europeans, and they dictate the routes.”

Despite these challenges, Mr Kusi Adomako insisted that Ghana must take urgent steps to realign its trade policies.

“We cannot continue to rely on big-brand America,” he warned. “If we don’t act now, these tariffs will be just the beginning of a much larger crisis.”