The leadership of the Grater Accra Regional branch of the Ghana National Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has rejected the dissolution claim its National leadership.
According to them they do not answer to the national executives hence GUTA national cannot dissolve their group.
Their position was made known after the National leadership announced their dissolution.
It would be recall that GUTA national on Friday July 10, stated that the Greater Accra executive branch was dissolved due to “serious breaches of the association’s code of ethics and lack of unity among the executives,” and cautioned the trading community that anyone who deals with any of the old executives does so at his own risk.
However, in a swift response to this development, the Greater Accra branch also in a statement indicated that “The national executives of GUTA lack the capacity to dissolve the Greater Accra GUTA,” which according to them is registered under the Act 1963 (ACT 179) with registration number CG114062017.
“We hereby entreat all Ghanaians and the over 5000 registered members of GUTA Greater Accra to debunk all allegation levelled against the executives of the Greater Accra as it is unfounded. We are informing all Ghanaians that GUTA Greater Accra does not answer to GUTA national but can only collaborate with them on national issues,” GUTA Accra said in a statement.
Meanwhile, this paper has established that the ongoing impasse between the two bodies stem from the mode of the disbursement of GH¢600 million Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) business support scheme intended to support small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) impacted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The fund which is intended to provide relief to SMEs across the country that has been negatively affected by the disease.
Government is collaborating with the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), Business & Trade Associations and selected Commercial and Rural Banks whilst they roll out a soft loan scheme up to a total of GH¢600 million, which will have a one-year moratorium and two-year repayment period for micro, small and medium scale businesses.
The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), this paper has gathered is comfortably working with the Grater Accra Regional branch of GUTA since it has all the data on their traders (members) unlike the National Body.
According to information, the Greater Accra GUTA seems to have taken the shine out of the activities of the whole GUTA body as far as membership date and organization is concerned.
This however, gave NBSSI the urge to deal with them (GUTA Greater Accra) in reaching out to its members as it rolls out the loan scheme.
This development didn’t go down well with the National GUTA body which sees the activities of the Greater Accra leadership as inimical to their interest, hence the decision to dissolve it.
Meanwhile, Greater Accra GUTA noted that it runs full-time secretariat for its members which places it above the national body, hence the recognition.
According to GUTA Greater Accra, their structure is not like a political party that has regional and district branches under one umbrella.
Greater Accra GUTA further noted that it is dissociating itself from the national GUTA adding that “we believe the national GUTA executives do not have the progress of traders especially Greater Accra Association at heart.
