Hamisu Muhammad
1 October 2007
Abuja — The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) in conjunction with other civil society organizations has conducted a one-day rally against the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in Abuja, calling on the African countries to withdraw from the talks in its present form.
The NANTS called on Nigerians to work against the project in its present form, saying that Nigerian is not well prepared for the trade agreement.
At the event some copies of the letters were distributed highlighting the possible dangers of the EPA to the wellbeing of the Nigerian masses.
The letters captioned, 'Please don't let our future be sold through the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the EU".
Others said "First, we write as bonafide citizens of Nigeria. Secondly, we write as the farmers, artisans, students, women, employees, employers, private sector and small business owners, service providers, academia, etc. For decades, we have lived under the illusion of international policy of free trade which promises economic freedom, wealth creation and poverty reduction. Yet, the reality and evidence is that several years after, these promises have rather turned to degradation, loss of livelihoods and abject poverty on our people".
In attendance were youths, students, artisans, farmers, traders and journalists, many of them dressed in mascots of colourful traditional apparels, bodies painted with bright colours with inscriptions and slogans condemning the EPAs. As the mascots walked round the streets of Abuja, they captured public attention with their innovative dressing code.
The rally began from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and ended at the National Assembly. The campaigners submitted the copy of the letter to the speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, President of the ECOWAS Commission, the Nigerian Senate President as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The groups complain in the letters that the poorest of the world cried to the WTO in Doha 2001 "but all we have today in terms of Doha Development Agenda commitments are only 'missed deadlines'. As if that was not enough, today, the architects of liberalization and free trade have again brought to our door steps, EPA's free trade agenda as a fastest solution to our poverty. But by all standards and ramifications, the clear indication is that ECOWAS sub-region is going to worse-off in this arrangement".
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