President Nana Akufo-Addo
President
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday sounded a cautionary note to members of
the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) over the seeming attacks on
foreigners who have been accused of doing retail business which is a preserve
of Ghanaians.
He
asked them not to take the law into their own hands as they seek to enforce the
law on retail trading.
“People
cannot take the law into their own hands and enforce the law. If we do that,
Ghana will become chaotic. We have to be careful about this phenomenon of
taking the law into our own hands about situations that government is yet to
resolve,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
Addressing
the leadership of GUTA in Accra yesterday on his second day tour of the Greater
Accra Region, the President said, “Please allow the work that the Trade
Minister and the Committee are doing with the Immigration Authorities to
progress.”
“I
am confident that if we allow same to work, your issues with foreign participation
in the retail business will soon be a thing of the past in line with the law,”
he added.
The
President assured the traders that his administration was working closely with
the Bank of Ghana to find a lasting solution to the phenomenon of high interest
rates that affect businesses.
He
also commented on the issue of locked-up cash of traders in some insolvent
Microfinance companies which were taken out of business following the banking
and financial sector reforms.
He
asked the traders to be a little more patient with his government as it works
to clear all the debts owed them.
Trade Minister
The
Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan K. Kyeremanten, commended the traders
highly for receiving the President in such a rousing manner.
He
said the traders were the backbone of the economy and could not be taken for
granted, saying “some people are out there to say all manner of things to get
your minds twisted as far as the issues are concerned. Ignore them and keep
faith with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo because in due course, things
will take great shape.”
GUTA Position
GUTA
President Dr. Joseph Obeng reiterated that his members
were only helping the government to enforce the law banning foreigners in the
retail business and were not there to cause mayhem.
He said they would follow the law to ensure there is amicable solution for the issue and ensure that Ghanaian traders receive the needed protection.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu