The Bureau for Internal Affairs (BIA), an anti-corruption organisation, has called on government as a matter of urgency to address the grievances of local traders to ensure economic sanity.

BIA says what started as a plea on government to come to the rescue of traders some months ago has now aggravated to industrial action, leading to the closure of shops by some traders.

A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by Ms Cynthia Essandoh, BIA Coordinator, and copied to Ghana News Agency said the action by the traders could have been avoided if the Ministry of Trade and Industry, had not turned deaf ears to their genuine concerns.

It said the industrial show down with government initiated by Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) and supported by other trading groups like Small Scale Rice Dealers Association of Ghana (SSRIDA-GH) is not a good sign and must be addressed quickly before other groups join forces with them.

The statement said the action by the traders was as a result of bad trade policies, hence the need for the Trade Ministry to take the necessary steps to fix all that is wrong with the business sector to make members of GUTA and SSRIDA-GH rescind their industrial action.

It said government as a matter of urgency should address these issues before the worst happens. “The traders on countless occasions have point out to government that some policies instituted by the Ministry of Trade and Industry are gradually collapsing their businesses and sending them home with nothing.

“The three per cent special levy on imports, the increase of Value Added Tax are too harsh,” the statement said. It said it would be in government’s interest to revolve the concerns of the traders whose worth to the national economy is enormous.

BIA therefore calls on government to reclaim the Ghanaian business sector which has been taken over by foreigners because of policies that do not favour local entrepreneurs.

The Bureau therefore calls on the ministry to bring the traders and other stakeholders on board to review the policies that have prompted the action by GUTA. BIA is a centre for information gathering on public concerns with the aim of bridging the communication gap between the public and authorities on issues negatively affecting the nation.

The statement said any person or persons with genuine concerns or information should contact the Bureau through biainfogh@gmail.com or face book: Bureau For Internal Affairs.