PRESS STATEMENT

Oct 17, 2023 - 08:45

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14/09/2020

POLITICAL PARTIES MANIFESTOS AND ISSUES AFFECTING TRADERS

Ladies and gentlemen of the press,

Upon reviewing the manifestos of the two major political parties in the country, we are greatly disappointed that the interest of traders where not put to heart. The reasons for our disappoints is due to the fact that their manifestos did not address trading issues in the country.

Especially when it comes to renting of stores/shops and Access to Credit in Ghana. The manifesto of the ruling party seeks to address the rental issues through their proposed National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS) focus only on government workers but failed to address that of the trading community. Today, a trader has to pay monies ranging from GHs 80,000 – GHs 250,000 every five years just to secure a shop/store popularly known as GOODWILL which excludes monthly rent charges. Some of these landlords and landladies go to extent of charging in dollars.
The manifestos from the two main political parties indicated promises to Ghanaians and forgetting that traders in the country constitute 50 plus one percent that enables them to win political power. The contributions of traders to Ghana’s GDP growth is enormous considering taxes and duties we pay at the port. This amazes us as to why these parties have refused to recognize the important role traders’ play in this country. This has compelled us to question ourselves if these parties are taking traders for granted and do not regard the plight and issues which affects traders directly? And why it has eluded them not to touch on such important issues that affect trading in the country?
With regards to foreigners in retail trade in Ghana, we find the suggested proposal made to government by the speaker of House of Representatives of Nigeria during his recent visit to the country, that the GIPC (Act 865) should be reviewed to enable foreign nationals engage in retail trade, which has been reserved for only Ghanaians is displeasing and unethical. We find it so disheartening and disrespectful to have our leaders condoning such an act from a sister nation after entrusting so much faith in them allowing Nigeria to come and tell us what to do with our laws yet when it suited them, shuts its borders against ECOWAS protocols whiles having its nationals flouting our trade laws.
We traders are pleading with our intellectual leaders to consider our woes and not to disappoint us but rather do more to help save the retail trade industry, which employ millions of Ghanaians.

Recommendation to Government;

We call on government as a matter of urgency to put before parliament an (L.I) that will regulate the renting of stores/shops at its highest levels to prevent landlords and ladies from extorting monies from traders.

The same (L.I) should help prevent the invasion of foreign nationals who have taken advantage of our weak existing trade laws from retail trade by preventing them from securing stores/shops.