Members of the Small Scale Rice Dealers Association of Ghana (SSRIDA), have threatened to demonstrate if the directive of the Ministry of Trade to lift the ban on inland importation of rice is not implemented.
Mr Yaw Korang, Coordinator of SSRIDA who issued the threat in a statement in Accra at the weekend and copied to Ghana News Agency, said the directive was arrived at when Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the outgoing sector minister met with members of SSRIDA over the issue on July 7.
He said at the meeting there was an agreement that the Sampa border in the Brong Ahafo Region would be opened for inland importation of rice.
Mr Korang said the street protest is to bring to the fore SSRIDA numerous cry on government over the ban on inland importation of rice late last year, which has rendered members bankrupt with their debtors on their neck.
He said the enforcement of the ban has given undue advantage to foreign traders at the expense of local entrepreneurs.
?We want to assure the ministry that SSRIDA is ready to fight this sabotage with our last breath.
?Why must we allow the country to get to this point where foreigners take over the market from the local people while there are appropriate authorities whose duty is to ensure that this does not happen,? he said.
Mr Korang said although SSRIDA would have wished that more borders are opened to facilitate their trading activities, the meeting reached a compromise for the Sampa border.
The ban on importation of rice, had adversely affected not only the members of SSRIDA but the economy as a whole, he said.
?If national policies are favouring foreign traders then government cannot be exonerated from the current economic crises.?
It said although different platforms have been used to draw the ministry?s attention to the harm the ban has caused ?some authorities at the ministry have put a death ear to our cry?.
The statement said the monopoly given to foreign traders has led to the high cost of living which has affected the prices of food.
The statement called on President John Dramani Mahama to monitor the country?s trade policies, which it said is making government unpopular among traders and also undermining the economy.
GNA
