As part of his Transformational Plan, the Founder and Leader of Movement for Change, Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen has assured the Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA) of his determination to introduce and strictly enforce new legal requirements to ensure that, the sale of goods or provision of service in a market or stall, including petty trading or hawking at any place, by foreigners is prohibited but reserved for Ghanaians and Ghanaian-owned enterprises.
“No foreigner is allowed to partcipate in the retail, wholesale, and distribution of consumer goods in any location without investing in the enterprise, an amount equivalent to no less than $5M Dollars in cash or in goods and services relevant to the investment”.
Hon. Kyerematen also assured to establish a Task Force with representation from recognized traders Associations and relevant statutory Departments and Agencies of Government, with express authority to enforce compliance with legislation on foreign participation in local trade.
He indicated plans to develop modern retail market infrastructure with adjoining lorry parks in all major market centres across the country, by providing incentives to the private sector to construct new market facilities on a lease or rental basis for traders.
“The new market sites should include essential services such as clinics, childcare facilities, banking services, waste disposal, and other sanitary facilities”.
The trading cemmunity according to Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, is a critical component of the Ghanaian economic architecture saying, all efforts would be deployed to make them competitive.
Among the Movement for Change policies Hon. Alan Kyerematen indicated would be direct benefit to GUTA when tackled include; Duties & Taxes; Low Interest Rates; Increasing Financing to MSMEs; Stable Currency; Inflation.
The rest are, Retail Market Infrastructure, Participation of Foreigners in Local Trade, Industrial Production, and the Improvement of the Regulatory Environment for Business.
The Great Transformational Plan (GTP) embodies the vision of the Movement for Change to build a prosperous, united, and peaceful Ghana that provides equal opportuinities for all, particularly young people, women, and other vulnerable groups, to realize their full potential and improve their livelihoods and general wellbeing.
The GTP is anchored on 15 pillars which have been categorized into six (6) different but interrelated clusters, namely the: 1. Economic Cluster; 2. Governance Cluster; 3. Infrastructure Cluster; 4. Social Services Cluster, 5. Environment and Natural Resources Cluster; and 6. Behavioural & Attitudinal Change Cluster.
