Dr Joseph Obeng, GUTA President
The Ghana Union Traders Association (GUTA) says it’s not happy with plans by government to introduce Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) on traders since that will overburden importers and result in an increase in the prices of imported goods.
Dr Joseph Obeng, National President of GUTA, who made this known on Friday in Accra when national executives of GUTA paid a working visit to the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), said importers and traders were already overburdened by many duties and levies, therefore any new charges on imported goods would collapse their businesses.
“There are about 16 levies and the recent addition of AU levy, which has created a lot of inconveniences for traders. Ghanaian importers are being abused and we have been complaining about the Port Handling Charges, Terminal Charges and Demurrages and that the shipping lines have taken undue advantage of us.
“We pay one of the highest freights in the world and many things do not favour us and so we want you to think through all these concerns and be our mouthpiece,” he said.
Dr Obeng revealed that there was the need for continuous discourse and stakeholder engagements to advance a mutually beneficial agenda.
Noting that the GSA had been distanced from traders, he said GUTA was ready to avail its offices and channels of communications to GSA to address topical concerns.
Benonita Bismarck, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GSA, said she had tracked issues affecting GUTA even before her appointment, and highlighted its protest over foreigners taking over retail business in Ghana which was reserved only for Ghanaians.
“We’ll work with you and we don’t want it in a confrontational manner, because it does not help anybody, but let’s dialogue and work together for the collective objective of the Ghanaian to be realised,” she said.
GUTA was established in 1989 as the umbrella body of traders in Ghana to protect and champion the welfare of its members.
Its affiliate members include the Ghana Spare Parts Association, Ghana Electronic and Electrical Dealers Association and Mobile Phone Accessories Dealers Association.
By Samuel Boadi