Traders have asked the government to ensure the upcoming 2027 Financial Policy and Budget Statement delivers tangible relief to domestic commercial entities rather than mere paper stability.
The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) has made a passionate plea for fiscal measures aimed at bringing down the exorbitant cost of doing business, unlocking cheap capital, and fostering a resilient environment for indigenous enterprise growth.
Speaking in an interview on Rainbow Radio’s flagship current affairs programme, Nyankonton Mu Nsem, the President of GUTA, Mr Joseph Obeng Yeboah, emphasized that the trading community expects the fiscal policy to address deep-seated operational bottlenecks.
“We are looking forward to a budget that actively eases the cost of doing business and addresses the structural challenges stifling local trade,” Mr Yeboah stated during the broadcast. “Our members urgently require access to affordable credit, which remains the single biggest hurdle to expanding operations and generating sustainable jobs for the youth.”
The trade chief noted that while recent macroeconomic statistics point toward stability, those indices must reflect in the day-to-day expenditure of the ordinary Ghanaian trader and consumer. He insisted that the government must urgently align its fiscal interventions with real-world market conditions.
“It is not enough to talk about macroeconomic gains when the trader on the ground is struggling to keep their doors open,” he cautioned. “We want targeted interventions that translate these economic indicators into reduced operational expenses, boosted local manufacturing, and real employment opportunities.”
Addressing ongoing disruptions within the logistics sector, Mr Yeboah reiterated GUTA’s longstanding demand for comprehensive reforms across the country’s maritime gateways. He warned that persistent port delays and excessive charges continue to drive inflation across local retail markets.
“The severe bottlenecks, protracted delays, and heavy levies at our ports are killing enterprise. These charges artificially inflate the landing cost of goods, and at the end of the day, it is the ordinary consumer who suffers the price hike,” he explained.
Turning his focus to social intervention pledges, the GUTA executive highlighted the urgent necessity of actualizing the proposed Women’s Development Bank initiative. While acknowledging progress reported by the executive branch, he urged prompt execution.
“We heard the announcement from Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang that the formal license application is currently before the Bank of Ghana. That is a step forward, but paperwork alone will not empower female entrepreneurs,” Mr Yeboah remarked. “What matters most to our traders is the actual delivery and rollout of the bank. We need this promise translated into accessible capital for women in business without further delay.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana