The proposed three-day nationwide shutdown of trading activities by members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has been called off.

The leadership of GUTA recently instructed its members to halt all trading activities nationwide, from Monday, September 3 to Wednesday, September 5.

Addressing the media at a press conference in Accra, the National GUTA President Dr. Joseph Obeng disclosed that the leadership of the association agreed to rescind that decision after a meeting with President Akufo-Addo to deliberate on the ruckus surrounding the implementation of the cargo tracking note (CTN).

According to Dr Obeng, President Akufo-Addo assured them his outfit would ensure that their demands are met, adding that the implementation of the CTN has been given a six-week extension.

“With what the President has done, the maturity the President has shown, the love that he has shown to us, we are calling off our intended demonstration for the closure of shops from Monday to Wednesday,” he said.

Dr Obeng did not mince words when he said that: “This demonstration was the least of our actions, the closure of shops was the least of our actions. A word to the wise is enough. And we should be taken seriously as an association.”

He cautioned that the association would not relent to go ahead with its demonstration should government fail to meet their demands, which have been made known in a Memorandum of Understanding.

The directive by GUTA to its members to halt shipment of goods into the country was in retaliation to government’s failure to address their concerns on the cargo tracking note (CTN).

According to GUTA, the pilot phase of the CTN implementation was done with minimal stakeholder consultation and the full implementation would result in a duplication of duties, resulting in a rise in the cost of doing businesses.