Address comcerns of traders- Market women tell next government

Daily Graphic, Pg 17, Tues. Jan. 06/09

Story: Rebecca Quaicoe Duho

SOME petty traders and shop owners in Accra Central Business District (CBD) and parts of the metropolis have stressed the need for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to implement policies and programmes that will help boost their businesses and income.
According to them, they expect that the NDC government will check the influx of sub-standard goods such as dresses and fabrics, as well as consumable such as drinks and biscuits, to help promote made-in-Ghana goods.
They commended the Kufour administration for ensuring peace in the country during its tenure of office and pointed out that, that enabled them to undertake their trading activities with confidence.
Most of the traders who expressed their expectation of the next government in an interview with the Daily Graphic, urged the NDC government to continue with “the good works of the outgoing government”.
They mentioned that although policies such as National Health Insurance Scheme, free maternal care for pregnant women and capitation grant for schools by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government were laudable, their incomes were not enough for them to make ends meet in order to improve on their standard of living.
A shop owner, Ama Saidu, who operates a mothercare shop in the CBD, called on the government to take steps to reduce the importation of mothercare products to protect local industries and enable producers of local goods to compete favourably with foreigners.
According to her people prefer to buy imported goods, some of which are cheaper than those produced locally, saying that such a situation normally leaves them with no other option than to mix their products with sub-standard ones so as to make up for their loses.
Ama, who blamed the high cost of goods and services on the change in currency, called on the new government to ensure that prices were stabilised.
Auntie Yaa, a tomato seller at the CMB, expressed the hope that the new government would put in place small loan schemes to make credit facilities available.
She said she expected the government to give out flexible loans that would help traders to expand their activities.
She called for a peaceful environment, saying that it was only when there was peace that they could also excel in their business.
Auntie Yaa called on the government to maintain the NHIS and improve on it so that it would benefit everyone in the country.
Another tomato trader at CMB, Madam Victoria Ntiamoah, said she would wish that at least the government made a minimum of GH¢500 available to all traders who needed loans to expand their businesses.
According to her, when the government gives out small loans traders end up using them to settle their old debts and therefore if they are given more they will be able to settle their debts and also have some to trade with.
She urged the new government to deliver on the promises such as free education for both the first and second-cycle schools, since that made them vote massively for the NDC.
Hagar, a trader in ladies blouses at the CBD, urged the new government to continue with the works of the NPP government, stressing that “it is only when there is continuity that we can also work in peace”.
She said she was always ready to work to earn a living but all that she needed was a peaceful atmosphere to go about her work.
Regina Abeka, a roasted plantain seller, on her part said the government should provide more work avenues for young people to rid the streets of hawkers and street vendors who needed to go to school to develop their future.