Member of the United Kingdom Parliament, Abena Oppong Asare says she will use her role as a legislator to strengthen links between Ghana and the United Kingdom and boost bilateral trade.

The Erith and Thamesmead constituency MP met the Deputy Trade and Industry Minister, Herbert Krapa, to explore areas of cooperation and discuss the Ghana UK trade deal. The agreement signed in March, 2020 aims to promote increased trade and investment between the two countries.

The agreement will facilitate the building of a trading relationship to the tune of about £1.2 billion. 

The UK commits to providing immediate duty-free, quota-free access to goods exported from Ghana. In exchange, Ghana commits to gradual tariff liberalisation of goods. Some domestically sensitive products in Ghana are excluded from tariff liberalisation.

The agreement replaces the interim Ghana-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement which governed trade relations between Ghana and the UK until the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement ceased to apply to the UK on December 31, 2020, when the latter exited the European Union.

This agreement will also support businesses to increase their processes, encourage innovation in markets and create jobs as the country recovers from the ravaging effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Abena Oppong Asare who is the Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury is hopeful that the economic and cultural relationship between the UK and Ghana will go from strength to strength.

“I’ll use my position to encourage and deepen issues of common concern between the two countries and that is what I discussed with the trade ministry in Ghana and it is my hope that this will yield positive results” she indicated.

Born to Ghanaian parents Abena Oppong-Asare was educated at Kent University and worked as a parliamentary researcher before becoming an MP.  She was formerly also the equalities lead at London City Hall.  She is Chair of Labour Women’s Network.

From 2014 to 2018, she was a Labour Party Councillor for Erith ward on Bexley Council.

She currently holds the role as the Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.

she served as Opposition Deputy Leader and Education Spokesperson on Bexley Council and worked for the Greater London Assembly.