The Centre for Democratic Movement (CDM) has called for a coordinated national response to the United States’ recent imposition of a 10% tariff on Ghanaian exports. 

In a strongly worded statement issued on 9th April 2025, the group described the move as a direct threat to the livelihoods of thousands of cocoa farmers, textile workers, and SMEs.

“This is not merely a trade issue; it is a bread-and-butter issue,” the CDM stated, warning that the tariff would lead to rising unemployment and foreign exchange shortfalls. 

The tariff, reportedly linked to Ghana’s 17% average tariff on U.S. goods, has been described as unjustified under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which grants Ghana duty-free access to the U.S. market.

The CDM questioned whether the U.S. had formally revoked AGOA benefits, saying, “The application of a blanket 10% tariff on Ghanaian goods may contradict the spirit of the agreement if AGOA benefits are not explicitly revoked by the U.S. Congress.”

The group called for high-level diplomatic intervention and urged Ghana’s leadership to “respond with clarity, legality, and unity.”