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GUTA members close shops over economic woes
Members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), have closed their shops until Monday, October 24 in protest of the high cost of doing business in recent times.
They also insist that the continuous plummeting of the Ghanaian Cedi on the forex market and the high inflation rate have eroded their capital and exacerbated their plight.
GUTA wants this action to be a “pinch” on government to urgently address their concerns.
The shop closure come against pleas by members of the Council of State on Tuesday, October 18 for the traders to rescind their decision.
In a media interview shortly after the engagement with the Council of State members, however, the President of GUTA, Dr Joseph Obeng said their action is to compel the government to act quickly to ameliorate their plight.
“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 recognise 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 Region be closed tomorrow till Monday”.
The Association has thus called on the government to ascertain the factors leading to excessive demand for forex while reviewing investment laws to retain forex and push foreign investors into productive sectors of the economy.
“Government should adopt other alternative currencies like the Chinese Yuan to reduce the pressure on the dollar, especially.
There should be the immediate implementation of the road map set out to flush out all illegal foreigners in the retail trade sector,” Dr Obeng added.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
