The Association of Spare parts dealers at Abossey Okai in Accra say government did not factor their needs into the 2018 budget.
Chairman of the spare parts dealers’ association, Siaw Ampadu expressed that although it appears the figures in the budget indicate that government is on course and there is some level of growth in the economy, the growth of businesses such as theirs were not addressed in the budget allocations.
According to him, the focus of the budget which was read by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta Wednesday, was mostly focused on job creation and growing the agricultural sector.
Government announced in the presentation of the 2018Â budget that the creation of a Nation Builders' Corps will ensure that about 100, 000 graduates are employed, but the Chairman maintained that non-graduates who are in the system will not be catered for.
“If government is employing these graduates, then what about those who have not attained a similar level of education?†he questioned.
“When you come to Abossey Okai, we have about 6,000 shops. If each shop contains say, 4 people, that makes 24,000 workers, adding the food vendors and other menial workers will increase the number to about 30,000 people whose livelihood depends on this business. That is why government must give some attention to business communities like here so it can expand and take care of the non-graduate populaceâ€, he stressed.
The major concerns and expectations of the association ahead of the budget reading were that government will outline means to stabilize the cedi against the dollar which will, in turn, reduce import duties, and also ensure that interest rates come down in line with reductions in the Central Bank’s prime rate.
Mr. Ampadu further urged government to attend to the needs of the private sector and include them in development initiatives so that it can expand and in the end, contribute massively to the economy as a whole.
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