GUTA is never truthful to government - Importers and Exporters Association

Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Samson Asaki Awingobit, has accused the Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA) of “pampering” the government when it should be criticizing the government for implementing bad policies that have affected trade in the country.

Sampson observed that the GUTA under the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been very different from the GUTA under the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

He shared that in the past, GUTA was quick to criticize and intervene for its members but now the leadership only agrees with whatever the government introduces without considering how it will negatively affect its members.

“They [GUTA] pamper this government a lot. They don’t speak the ills going on. GUTA doesn’t tell the government the truth. I remember in 2015 importers and exporters together with GUTA closed down shops for three days in agitation to the 3 percent flat rate introduced. But that is not the case now,” he told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show.

Ahead of the 2022 budget reading, Sampson has said that the business community is already suffering and as such, any attempt to introduce more taxes in the budget will cripple a lot of businesses.

He was, however, pessimistic that GUTA will intervene to save the business community and traders belonging to the union.

“The business community is struggling and I want GUTA to go back to the way it used to be and not how they are now. In the past, we took action but now the people in the market are suffering,” he lamented.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to present the 2022 budget on Wednesday, November, 17th 2021.

It had previously been scheduled for November 15, 2021, however, the Second Deputy Speaker, Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako, (Ind., Fomena) announced the date reversal on Wednesday and said the House will have other important events to attend to on November 15.

The presentation of the budget is in accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and section 21 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921)

According to a statement issued by the Ministry, it is prior to the presentation, seeking inputs from various business associations, professional bodies, faith-based organizations as well as the general public.

The inputs the Ministry added will cover the budget preparation from 2022 to 2025.