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.