Resumption Of Work By GUTA Members

COMMENTARY ON THE RESUMPTION OF WORK BY GUTA MEMBERS 

The decision by members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association, GUTA, to re-open their shops for trading is most refreshing. GUTA members decided to resume work after three day of closure, following the intervention of the sector minister, Haruna Idrissu, who promised government will do well to resolve their grievances. It is instructive to note that before the Executives of GUTA gave the green lights for members to resume work, some of the traders had on their own volition opened their shops in defiance to the directive.  

Analysts have argued  that the order by GUTA  for members to close their shops is more political than anything else.  GUTA is said to have ordered its members in 2007 to reduce prices in solidarity with the then President Kufuor's regime upon assumption of office.  

However GUTA insists the lock out is in protest against policies of the present regime which are telling hard on their businesses.  Principal among these are government's inability to check foreigners who have taken over the retail business which they shouldn't  do, as well as the depreciating value of the cedi.  

The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre law prohibits foreigners from engaging in retail trade.  It is true, lock outs are acceptable tools to seek redress to  grievances, but it is unfortunate GUTA has had cause to take to this high handed position given steps taken by government to address the issue.  

We are aware the Nigerian government especially had to send a delegation to meet the then Minister of Trade and Industry,  Hannah Tetteh to tread cautiously when she started to check foreigners , especially Nigerian and Chinese nationals who were in the retail trade,  in view of ECOWAS protocols.  

Government has also had cause to deport some Chinese nationals for illegally engaging in the retail business.  If things are still not going on well, we expect GUTA to dialogue with government instead of taking the extreme position of ordering the closure of shops.  

As things stand now, it is the people and the traders themselves who  are suffering.  Imagine going for a loan which you have to pay within a specific period, then this lock -out order is given.  

A local proverb says "the goat thought it was distempering its owner's building not knowing it is its skin that would be eventually be affected".  It is unfortunate some traders had to be coerced to close their shops.  Whatever be the case,  traders must be guided by their conscience in taking such decisions in future.  

Some of  their leaders have big interest in Companies and would not be affected should shops close for a month.  It is about time, Ghanaians adopted a positive attitude to issues of retail trade.  They must avoid fronting for foreigners in the sector.  

We need to have industries that produce some of the things we import.  

In a recent address to the nation, President Mahama said the country's import bill for 2013 was 17 billion dollars, far in excess of the national budget and the GDP.  This means there is a lot of pressure on the country's foreign exchange.  Additionally for a country that encourages 100 percent repatriation of profits, this means companies will be repatriating their profits. 

So a combination of the repatriation and huge imports will create  problems for the economy.  It is unacceptable that in Ghana, we allow the importation of every conceivable item.  

From the flipflop or charlie wote as it is known in local parlance, toothpicks, matches, zips, to  erazers and the like.  Years ago, we had some of the finest local companies in West Africa.  These include the Bonsa Tyres noted for producing car tyres,  Asiamah Oil Mills, GIHOC Pharmaceuticals and GIHOC Cannery, to mention a few.  

All these have gone down hill.  Some too have changed hands to foreign ownership.  Where does it end and at which point as a  country do we begin to take ownership of the means of production?  

We spend millions of dollars importing rice, sugar and other commodities when in the 60s and 70s we had two sugar factories located at Asutuary  and Komenda which  have gone down and we are struggling up to this day to bring them back on line.  

We need to get serious with Public-Private Partnership to revive some of these companies.  If we do so, there will be less pressure on the foreign exchange reserve  and  more job openings with more people paying tax,  and the cedi will be stabilised.  

By that, institutions like GUTA will be free of the foreigners issue and the pressure that comes with them.  Hope somebody is listening.

BY JUSTICE MINGLE, A JOURNALIST