Former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer for the 2028 elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has engaged the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) on challenges facing traders, including high import duties, rising demurrage charges and the cost of doing business.
In a Facebook post on Friday, October 16, Dr Bawumia said GUTA executives and representatives outlined concerns over import duties, a reported increase in VAT for informal sector operators to 20 per cent, limited access to EXIM loans, high shop rents and goodwill payments, and the involvement of foreign nationals in the retail trade.
He described the meeting as productive, noting that the association also presented proposals to address the challenges confronting its members.
The discussions explored ways to reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported goods by encouraging local production. Dr Bawumia said they considered incentives that could motivate businesses to manufacture more goods domestically, create jobs and expand opportunities for Ghanaian enterprises.
He thanked GUTA for the engagement and the proposals presented, saying the discussions offered useful insights into the pressures facing traders.
The meeting forms part of broader discussions on potential policy measures to improve the business environment, ease operational costs and promote domestic production and private-sector growth.
