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Ahead of Thursday's State of the Nation Address (SONA) to be delivered in Parliament by President Akufo-Addo, the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is asking government to put in place measures to arrest the declining Cedi.

According to GUTA, the steady decline of the Cedi is affecting businesses and apparently making goods generally expensive in the market.

The 2019 SONA, just like the previous years’, is expected to focus on the performance of the economy, agriculture, social protection, and politics.

It will afford the president the opportunity to outline key economic successes chalked since he assumed power in 2017.

President of GUTA, Mr. Joseph Obeng, who disclosed this in an interview with Peace FM News, expressed worry about the activities of foreign traders that impact negatively on the cedi in particular, and the economy in general. 

"....there some foreign traders who study the Ghanaian market and anytime the cedi appreciates against the foreign currencies, they tend to trade the cedi against the dollar and end up making the cedi weaker on the trade market," he alleged.

He therefore charged government to put in measure or enact laws that will guide the trading activities of foreigners and further protect the cedi against foreign currencies.

"When government is able to do this I think it will help traders, so GUTA expects the president to explain to GUTA what his government is doing to ensure that the cedi appreciates against the dollar," he added.

Provide Incentive For Teachers

In a related development, the President of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, King Ali Awudu, is asking government to outline programs that will cushion teachers against the harsh conditions prevailing in their line of work.

"Over the years the teacher unions have asked government to provide incentive packages for teachers who are teaching in bad conditions across the country.

"We are also asking government to find funds to pay our three(3) months salary arrears else we will go on strike again," he added.

Third SONA

This year’s SONA will be the third by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo since he assumed office on January 7, 2017.

The delivery of the address is in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution, which states that “The President shall, at the beginning of each session of Parliament and before the dissolution of Parliament, deliver to Parliament a message on the state of the nation.”

With security at the fore of national discussions recently following the January 31 shooting incident that marred by-elections at the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency, the recent shooting incident at the Ashanti Region headquarters of the National Democratic Congress and reported kidnappings, the President is likely to focus significantly on national security issues.

He is also expected to give a progress report on some of government flagship programmes like the ‘One District One Factory’ and measures instituted to beat down the cost of doing business.