By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), Feb. 27, GNA – Mr Clement Boateng, the Vice President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), has encouraged traders and business operators to join the Association to benefit from the facilities available for its members.
“There are so many things that we have done that have benefited the business community and that is the more reason why we want to extend our base to every part of the country because there is no part of the country where trading does not go on for the benefit of the trader and the consuming public,” he added.
Mr Boateng said this in Wa during a meeting with members of GUTA in the Upper West Region to assure them of the benefits the members stood to gain from the Association.
He indicated that one’s GUTA membership card was a requirement to benefit from those supports.
“If you don’t have the GUTA card some of the facilities you cannot enjoy because they will demand and make sure you are part of GUTA before you can enjoy them,” Mr Boateng explained.
He also encouraged the business operators and traders to register their businesses and practice proper documentation and record keeping for them to benefit from GUTA-facilitated financial support such as loans and grants.
He explained that since its inception about three decades ago, GUTA had done a lot for the trading community in the country including negotiating and advocating for a friendly business operation environment for business to thrive.
He identified some of the facilities to include an “amplifier third party” motor insurance for members of GUTA with Enterprise Insurance where members were required to pay GH¢580.00 instead of the required GH¢480.00 and in times of accident the insurance company would pay GH¢5,000.00 to the affected member.
He added that they were also engaging Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN) to give members a group internet bundle at a discounted rate to aid them in their business activities.
The GUTA Vice President said the Association also facilitated business trips of its members to other countries, including support in visa acquisition as well as engaged some financial institutions to facilitate access to credit facilities for members to enhance their businesses.
Mr Boateng said GUTA was working to ensure that foreigners abided by the business regulations in the country but blamed some Ghanaians for supporting foreigners to usurp the retail business environment in the country.
Mr Richard Amamoo, the Deputy General Secretary of GUTA, also attributed the challenge in getting foreigners out of the retail business sector to corruption on the part of some state authorities.
He said if those, who were supposed to enforce the laws were not doing it, the citizens had to take up that responsibility to ensure the right thing was done.
“If you want to stay and work (in a foreign country), there are rules and regulations you have to follow.
This is why we are saying that when they come they must follow our rules and regulations so that if those who are supposed to enforce the law don’t do it, it is your responsibility as a citizen … the citizen can also prevent this thing”, he explained.
Madam Pearl Poku of the Women’s Wing of GUTA urged women to take their business activities seriously as they play a crucial role in the business environment.
She also encouraged them to take advantage of government interventions to develop their businesses.
Mr Karim Topie, the Upper West Regional Chairman of GUTA, expressed gratitude to GUTA for extending its branch to the Upper West Region.
He expressed hope that the concerns of traders in the region would be addressed with the assistance of GUTA.
GNA