Photos: Accra shops  shut as traders protest economic hardships

On Wednesday, members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) temporarily closed their businesses in Accra at Abosey Okain and the Accra Central Business District.
Their decision to close their businesses is a protest against Ghana’s current economic difficulties.
When I went to Okaishie in the Central Business District, I found that most of the shops, including the supper markets, were closed. Some shopkeepers stayed around, and disappointed shoppers moved from place to place looking for other places to shop.
Kwame Ayensu, a trader, disagrees with the decision to close the stores.

He said the cedi depreciation which GUTA is crying over could be partly blamed on its members, explaining that they are always importing instead of producing goods for both local and export markets to save the cedi.

Raymond Nii Fio who works with one of the shops said he doesn’t believe anything good can come out of this and called on the leadership of GUTA allow traders to open the shops while they, the leaders, meet with President Akufo-Addo to have serious talks.

While some of the shops were closed, a handful of them were opened and operators were doing brisk business.