Parliament has approved the host country agreement between Ghana and the African Union for the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat (AfCFTA) in Accra.

A report of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee says Ghana will secure premises for the secretariat and furnish it, as well as provide the necessary security.

According to the report, the date for the operationalisation of the free trade agreement has been moved to January 1, 2021, instead of the original July 1, 2020.

The AfCTA is a free trade area created by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement among African Union nations.

The agreement is aimed at creating a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments and thus pave the way for accelerating the establishment of the Continental Customs Union and the African customs union.

It will also expand intra African trade through better harmonization and coordination of trade liberalization and facilitation regimes and instruments across Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Africa in general.

Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchway told parliament on Monday that between 100 and 150 Ghanaians will gain job opportunities at the secretariat.

She explained that the employment opportunities will extend to drivers cleaners, management professionals and many others.

“Hosting of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat also will have a lot of economic benefit including positively impacting the hospitality industry,” she added.