GUTA Directs Members To Close Shops From Today
The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has directed its members in the Greater Accra Region to close their shops to the general public from today, October 19.
The protest is expected to end on Monday, October 24.
This is to register their displeasure at the soaring inflation and the steep depreciation of the Ghana cedi against major currencies.
“It is obvious that we cannot contain these challenges any longer as it is becoming increasingly challenging. We want to send a hint to the government to recognise that there is a sense of urgency in this situation. On this note, by the power vested in me by the trading community, I declare that all shops in the Greater Accra Region be closed tomorrow till Monday”, the President of GUTA, Dr Joseph Obeng said.
In August, when a similar protest was announced, the Association said the depreciation of the cedi had dissolved the capital of its members.
The recent closure directive was issued on Tuesday by the Association after an engagement with the Council of State where the Council pleaded for the decision to be rescinded.
“We formed the joint committee to come up with recommendations for the government and we expected to have the Minister of Trade and Industry and the Minister of Finance present at the meetings but at the initial meeting, they only sent directors and officials from the Ghana Revenue Authority and the BoG,” Graphic Online quotes the 1st Vice President of GUTA, Clement Boateng as saying.
“Every time we called on the Council of State, they said the officials were busy but when they heard that we were about to embark on this action, they quickly called for a meeting so they asked that we put on hold our decision but no compromise was made,”he added .
GUTA was expected to embark on a similar protest in Accra on August 29, 2022, however, it was aborted following the intervention of the Council of State.
“Our members are not going to be happy but truth be said that we have to listen to good counsel coming from no other place than the Council of State. Indeed we have put a stop to this intended action on Monday”, Dr Obeng told the media after a meeting with the Council on August 25, 2022.
As of yesterday, 1 dollar was trading at GHc12.65p.
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reports that inflation has risen to 37.2%.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
