The government has expressed shock at the decision by members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) to close their shops for six days.
A Deputy Trade Minister, Michael Okyere Baafi, argues that leaders of the association have been engaged on their concerns and government was thus taken aback by the decision.
“They gave us assurances that, fully, they were not going to close down their shops, so they can’t just shift the goalposts now,” he said to Citi News.
The traders in Accra closed their shops on Wednesday to protest the decline of the cedi against the dollar, the high inflation rate among other factors.
GUTA has complained that the government has shown little commitment in dealing with their concerns.
Mr. Baafi assured that the government is doing its best to tackle the issues raised.
He, however, added that the government could not devote maximum attention to their concerns.
“There are a lot of things that need to be done, government business that needs to be prosecuted, so we cannot just sit down and decide that all efforts must be put in their situation”.
Meanwhile, GUTA has reiterated its resolve to ensure that its issues are addressed, although the closure will have consequences on the finances of its members.
Clement Boateng, First Vice Chair of GUTA said “There is a proverb that says if you don’t lose something, you cannot gain something.”
“You cannot always be there to expect to be at the receiving end. You must lose something in order to gain something.”
