The business community at Adum in the Ashanti Region says it is yet to receive any form of invitation or communication from the government after shutting down shops on Monday.
Over 800 shops have been closed in the Adum enclave as other traders are replicating same action in other areas of the region.
The traders contend that their decision stems from tax policies imposed on their businesses.
The national representative for the traders, the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), has thrown its weight behind the actions of the business operators in Kumasi.
Speaking to Citi News, the Executive Secretary for the Adum Business Community, Charles Kusi Appiah urged government to consider recommendations presented to it by the traders.
“We want government to be proactive in addressing this issue. We have proffered some recommendations to government including them taking all their levies and taxes at source so that when goods come to the market, there is an even price to sell.”
“Government will optimize on its revenue mobilization and businesses will have that sanity and clear mind to do business and pay our corporate taxes and PAYE. Government will be at the advantage when this recommendation is accepted.”
Charles Kusi Appiah-Kubi, said: “as we indicated yesterday, our businesses are collapsing, and we cannot continue to sit down unconcerned.”
“We are getting the maximum support from them. The commitment is very high. Actually, we were not expecting this kind of support.”
He believes the support from its traders also validates the protest.
“I think the message is clear. Policy is not helping business growth and is collapsing businesses.”
The traders have also been concerned with the strength of the cedi.
The Ghana cedi has depreciated by 37.5% to the US dollar as of the end of September 2022 according to the Bank of Ghana.
Currently, the dollar is trading at a little over GH¢11 to $1.
GUTA has warned of more agitations across the country if the concerns of traders are not addressed.
“First, we were managing our frustration, but now our frustration has turned into anger and that is what is showing in the business community. This is only the beginning because others are going to follow. If I listen to the agitations of our members, it means that a lot more is going to follow, and it is going to be massive”, says GUTA president, Dr. Joseph Obeng.
