Guta Calls for Public Debate On High Cost of Doing Business

THE Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), has expressed concern about what it described as the high import duty and other cost of doing business in the country particularly to the trading community and importers.

The association says it appreciates, laud and welcomes the debate on the import duty within government circle, as mentioned in the speech of President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo during his recent encounter with the press in December.

According to a statement issued in Accra on Monday and signed by its General Secretary, Mr Alpha A. Shaban, GUTA therefore calls on government as a matter of urgency to expedite action on the debate and to ensure broader stakeholder participation on the issue.

With the wise counsel of the President, and the Minister of Trade and Industry, the association have decided to tune down on its demands for strict and immediate enforcement of the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) Law 2013 (Act 865) section 27 (1).

"However, this is not to say that GUTA has given up the demand for enforcement of the act," it said.

"We expect the state institutions responsible for the enforcement of the law to sit up and work diligently and expeditiously, as well as to ensure that all non-Ghanaians comply with the law or face the consequence."

That, according to a statement will forestall the recurrence of any agitation on the issue of foreigners in the retail trade in the markets.

On the issue of sanitisation of the banking industry by the Bank of Ghana (BoG), it said that it expects the central bank to closely monitor the activities of the banks in order that they follow the rules and regulations governing their operations.

The statement noted that this would help restore confidence in the people, majority of who have lost trust in the banks.

The mere recapitalisation of the banks it noted cannot be efficient in their operations, unless there was an effective mechanism in place coupled with the necessary compelling measures to ensure they work effectively and efficiently.

Touching on sanitation or a clean-up exercise introduced by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), GUTA welcomed it as a laudable idea but it expressed concern that while all shops were closed during the exercise, some petty traders and hawkers were going about doing brisk business in the vicinity thereby defeating its purpose.

The association therefore expects the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) to address the concern by involving everybody within the vicinity the exercise is taking place.

It also suggested that the MMDAs institute a periodic fumigation exercise, to help curb the spread of diseases.

On the 2019 budget, GUTA said while the budget delivered by the Finance Minister was quite ambitious and holds a lot of bright prospects for business, it was adequately prepared for any opportunity that may avail to 'us in the budget'.

GUTA, the statement said would engage with the Procurement Ministry to discuss ways and means of modifying the procurement process and procedures to enable small and medium scale enterprises to effectively participate in the government procurement programme.

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