Sack Carlos Ahenkorah – GUTA to Akufo-Addo

The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately dismiss the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Carlos Ahenkorah, claiming his attitude will collapse the sector.

“GUTA is of the view that we cannot work with Mr Ahenkorah any longer because he does not respect traders, and his actions are creating insecurity for Ghanaian traders. He has demonstrated incompetence in dealing with us, but we still hold the view that no sovereign country will be enforcing a law and still try to educate those who are flouting the law,” the Deputy National Secretary of GUTA, Mr Emmanuel Nana Poku Acheampong, told Daily Graphic in an interview.

This comes after the last minute volte-face on an earlier directive by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) rescinding its order to all foreigners in the domestic retail business to leave the local market before July 27.

The ministry, in a release signed by its acting Chief Director, Mr Ebenezer Padi Adjirackor, and issued in Accra Wednesday, said the directive had been suspended “to intensify sensitization and education in the domestic retail trade sector”.

But GUTA says Ghana’s market will continue to be flooded with substandard goods due to the suspension of the directive by the Trades Ministry to flush out foreign retailers.

GUTA is blaming foreigners for the influx of pirated and substandard goods on the market.

According to GUTA, this has led to unfair trade practices and competition.