Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Michael Okyere Baafi, has said the idea of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) to embark on a strike is premeditated for a purpose. He claimed the idea of the ongoing strike is to make the Nana Addo-led government ostracized despite meetings with the association to address issues amicably. "...This is not the response government is looking to get, government is very disappointed in their action," he said after he said government has had a series of engagements with them to address their grievances. " ...at least even if you won't applaud the government, you won't do something like this to make the government look very unpopular, that to us is not fair," he told host Kwesi Aboagye on NEAT FM’s morning show, 'Ghana Montie'. Members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) on Wednesday, October 19, closed shops in Accra to protest the deteriorating economic situation. The group described the industrial action, which will end on Monday, October 24, as a “pinch” on the government to urgently address the depreciating cedi, high-interest rate and inflation. GUTA announced its decision after engaging in a three-hour meeting with some members of the Council of State.