The Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Honorable Michael Okyere Baafi, has said that the government is disappointed in the actions of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) as it embarks on a nationwide strike beginning today, 19th October 2022.
He indicated that the government has been engaging the union including having a meeting with them last Friday 14th October 2022 to address their concerns which they agreed.
‘’We have been meeting with them; you asked government to give you a special rate among other things and we agreed. So what do you want the government to do again? The government is disappointed in their actions”
Michael Okyere Baafi
Speaking in a media interview today 19th October 2022, he mentioned that the ministry has had several engagements with the union along with the Counsel of state, Bank of Ghana, Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ministry of Finance, making the decision and actions of the union quite surprising.
The Deputy Minister stated that the President was expecting the union to understand and corporate with government instead of trying to make them unpopular.
“We expected them to corporate with us because the country is already tensed, they should not add this to what we are going through already. They must try to understand us instead of making the government unpopular.”
Michael Okyere Baafi
He further pleaded with the Union to call off the strike as it is not the solution to providing what they need.
“We plead with them to call off the strike and open their shops to the public as this doesn’t give a solution to what is at stake at the moment.”
Michael Okyere Baafi
GUTA Strike Begins Today
Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) on Tuesday 18th October declared a strike action and directed all members to close down their shops beginning today, the 19th of October 2022.
This action is to express their displeasure with what they term as exorbitant tax rates and the continuous depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar.
This, the traders say, is affecting their businesses and depleting their capital and profit margin.
The nation has since seen most shops in Accra Central, Makola, Tudu, Abossey Okai and some other part of the capital city closed.
According to the union, the protest will end on Monday, October 24 making the protest a weeklong one.
Meanwhile other groups such as the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) among other are also currently on strike.
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