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GUTA rejects pleas by Council of State; goes ahead to shut shops in Accra on Wednesday

The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) says its members will still go ahead and close shops in the Greater Accra Region for six days beginning Wednesday, October 19.

This is despite an engagement with members of the Council of State on Tuesday, October 18 to convince the group to rescind its decision.

GUTA says the protest has been necessitated by the high cost of doing business in recent times, insisting that the continuous plummeting of the local currency on the exchange market and the high inflation rate have exacerbated their plight.

Currently, a dollar is selling for over GH12 at many forex bureaus.

President of GUTA, Dr. Joseph Obeng, spoke to the media after the engagement with members of the Council of State.

“It is obvious that, we cannot contain these challenges any longer as it is becoming increasingly challenging. We want to send a hint to the government to recognize that, there is a sense of urgency in this situation. On this note, by the power vested in me by the trading community, I declare that all shops in the Greater Accra be closed tomorrow till Monday”.

GUTA’s protest follows the Adum Business Community in Kumasi closing down shops for five days because of the implementation of tax policies concerning VAT.

The traders in Adum reopened their shops after meeting with government representatives.

Already, the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has backed the shutdown.

Speaking to Citi News, Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Samson Asaki Awingobit stated the number of days for the directive will be communicated tomorrow and that this was part of efforts to force government to immediately address challenges the business community is facing due to the current economic crisis.

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“We want the government to respond immediately, and so we are encouraging all wholesalers and retailers to close their shops. It is for their own interest because businesses are suffocating and government has no sympathy for businesses.”

Source: Citi Newsroom

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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