We Are Not Making Gov’t Unpopular – Abossey Okai Traders Speak On Shop Closures

The Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association has rejected claims that it is making the government unpopular with the ongoing closure of shops to register their displeasure over the depreciating cedi, high-interest rate, and soaring inflation.

This follows allegations by the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Michael Okyere Baafi that the decision by the traders association is a ploy to make government unpopular.

But reacting to the Deputy Minister’s statement, the Vice President of the Association, Richard Obeng told Starr News that their decision to close shops was not politically motivated.

According to him, the move is to ensure that the government put in adequate measures to address their concerns.

“So the Minister is trying to tell us that whatever challenges that we are facing right now he doesn’t see anything wrong? How much do we buy one gallon of petrol, we don’t want to go into politics, we don’t want to politicize this. We are speaking the truth and the truth must be spoken. You will bear me witness, how much petrol do you buy in a week, if it’s not because of the Dollar? So we are talking about the way we can put measures in place so that at the end of the day, the Dollar will stabilize. If you are claiming that we are trying to make the government unpopular that is not what we are doing”.

“We all know that Akufo Addo has done well for us the people of Abossey Okai and the importers. He’s done a lot so how can we sabotage him? Whether I belong to NDC or NPP you have no idea. If we go to the fuel station do they ask you whether you are NPP or NDC? No, everybody is being affected, that is what we are speaking about.”

GUTA members 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 depreciation of the Cedi on the forex market and the high inflation rate have eroded their capital and worsened their plight.

GUTA wants this action to be a “pinch” so government attends to 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.