GUTA Didn't Respect Our Leaders - Trade Ministry PRO

The Trade Ministry is earnestly pleading with the members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) to call off their strike.

The traders days ago closed their shops to protest the economic challenges bedeviling their business.

They raise concerns about the cedi depreciation and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) positioning their officials in their shops to take inventory of their commodities plus other situational effects of their trade.

The traders have refused to open their shops until government addresses their grievances.

However, the Public Relations Officer of the Trade Ministry, Prince Boakye Boateng, in an interview on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo", says the Ministry has had talks with the leadership of GUTA and agreed on a win-win situation.

He believed the traders will call off their strike by next week Monday and hoped they implement the measures they agreed on.

Mr. Prince Boakye was however unhappy the traders embarked on a strike action stating the strike hasn't benefited the traders themselves.

He complained of losses that they have made due to the rush to close their shops vis-à-vis other adverse effects the strike has visited upon GRA and the Ministry.

To him, GUTA didn't show respect to the Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen who he said was physically present at the negotiation table with the Association.

"I would understand if we had closed our doors and are unwilling to listen to them and they had decided to do what they are doing now. But if after reaching an agreement with them and asking them to implement the things we all agreed on during our meeting, you go and declare strike; although they may be genuine concerns but if they do this, then they didn't accord respect to our leaders because they didn't meet with kids. They came to meet Hon. Alan Kyerematen, Hon. Abena Osei Asare and other leaders; it wasn't some children that they met with . . . So, I am sad but I will plead with them to calm down," he said.