Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across the country have intensified their fight against the Economic Partnership Agreements saying they are inimical to the long-term development aspirations of the nation. For the second time in a month, civil society organizations have appealed to the government to be assertive and not buckle under pressure from the powers that be to take decisions that will only benefit the people of other nations and impoverish Ghanaians. The Economic Partnership Agreements are a scheme to create a free trade area between the European Union (EU), and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. One of the essential elements of the EPAs is reciprocity in trade between the parties involved. The agreements have remained a thorny issue in some ACP countries, triggering demonstrations in Ghana in 2007 when the government of Ghana initialed an Interim EPA. Since then, activists have raised the pitch of their voices, folded the sleeves of their shirts and sharpened their weapons in the fight against the agreements. Speaking at a forum organized by the Southern Zone of Food Security Policy Advocacy Network (FoodSPAN), a Fellow at the Third World Network, Mr Sylvester W. Bagooro, said the EPAs "are destructive tools being deplored on the economies of West Africa.” For him, “Failure to heed this call to reject the trade deal will bring avoidable hardships to Ghanaians. Let’s say no to the EPA.” Grounding his argument, Mr Bagooro said, the people of Africa were starving and that signing the EPAs will open the Ghanaian market to unfair competition and further impoverish the people as well as roll back the successes chalked up in the area of reducing extreme hunger and poverty. He believes the EPAs, if endorsed by African countries, will put the nail on attempts to foster trade amongst African countries. “The signing of the IEPA would lead to the further disintegration of the ECOWAS Sub region. Ghana plays a key role in regional integration and regional integration remains an important route to develop. Regional markets present the best opportunity for the local companies to flourish. This is one of the major lessons to be drawn from the global economic and financial crisis. However, if Ghana and other ECOWAS countries in EPAs will have to liberalize 80 percent of trade as proposed by the EU, Africa's regional markets risk being taken over by EU products. “The opportunity to increase intra-ECOWAS trade, diversify and industrialize will be significantly reduced. Local producers will have to compete with EU exports in their own national and regional markets. In this case the local content policy developed by Ghana for the oil industry will be paralyzed. Investments in agriculture aiming at the sub regional market will dwindle. Irrigation facilities are needed to combat the effects of natural disasters among others. This can only take place if there is enough policy instruments that can protect local investors,” he said. Arguing that the EPAs will have a debilitating effect on Ghana’s industrial development, Mr Bagooro said, “Ghana depends on agriculture and the linkage between agriculture and industry is essential for job creation in both sectors and hence food security. The EC's (European Commission’s) position on the elimination of tariffs for over 80 percent of trade; restrictions on the use of export taxes and quantitative restrictions; the provisions on the bilateral, and the standstill clause; will undermine Ghana's efforts to industrialize and its ability to move up the industrial value chain.”