The General Secretary of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah has said that the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) at the moment needs the appreciation of the local currency and not all forms of dialogue.

She stated that even though the government has said it has had several engagements with the Union, that is not the solution to what is at stake.

“Are you telling me that dialogues will appreciate the cedi? What they need now is the appreciation of the cedi, that the cedi will stop the free fall. What the union needs at the moment is to see the cedi rise again”
Nana Yaa Jantuah

Speaking on the ‘New Day’ show on Thursday October 20 2022, Nana Yaa said that the cedi keeps deprectiating while the dollar keeps moving up.

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Nana Yaa further stated that the government needs to come out with measures to address the concerns of the members of GUTA, including the fall of the cedi.

She further asked the government to sit up and stop being abysmal as that can worsen the situation at hand.

GUTA’S Strike Over Depreciation Of Cedi And Excessive

GUTA on Tuesday 18^th 0ctober directed all its members to close down shops beginning Wednesday 19^th October 2022 due to what they term as exorbitant tax as well as the depreciation of the local currency against the dollar.

The union claims the depreciation of cedi to the US dollar is making it difficult for most traders to stay in business.

The traders are also protesting the high cost of doing business in Ghana as a result of economic misery. Despite several engagements between the government and the union, it still went on to embark on the strike.

The country has since seen most shops in Makola, Abbosey Okai, Tudu and Accra central closed. The weeklong strike by GUTA is expected to end on the 24^th of October.

This followed a recent strike and close down of shops in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region, where traders lamented over what they call ‘killer VAT’ among others.