Butchers Association Hails Gov’t Over Cedi Stabilisation But Urges Officials To Do More To Sustain It.
By King Amoah.
The National Vice President of the Ghana Meat Sellers And Cutters Association, Chief Abdulai Wahab Ibrahim Tikuma has praised government for coming out with a policies that have seen the visibility of the currency appreciation in the country.
Speaking to the Correspondent in Kumasi in an interview, Chief Wahab observed that the efforts that have been played by the government towards the stabilization of the cedi is gradually helping the butchers to revive their businesses.
Chief Wahab Tikuma disclosed that the cedi is currently pegged at Ghc 12 to 13 to the dollar, an indication that shows that the cedi is appreciating.
Previously a dollar equivalent to the cedi was Ghc15, meaning that the previous depreciation of the cedi was collapsing the meat industry.
It is for this reason why butchers consider the current signs in the financial sector as a sign of cedi stabilisation and the need for the economic handlers to do more to ensure that the country’s currency becomes stronger.
The Vice President stated that butchers currently have enough stocks because they can buy cattle from the neighborhood countries as a result of the appreciation of the cedi.
He said for the fact that the cedi is on the verge of complete appreciation, butchers are still confronted with challenges as they are yet to balance their books to offset their debts that were incurred previously through the cedi depreciation.
Chief Wahab Tikuma reiterated that the butchers are in no doubt can feed the nation with best hygienic meat supply to avoid the billions of dollars that government spends to import meat and chickens annually, if currency policies are well maintained.
According to him meat consumption contributes to good health, economic development, and above all is a source of job creation.
Hence butchers believe that currency sustainability is the only alternative that could revamp the country.
Do more to sustain the appreciation of the currency and butchers would also do more to help sustain the development of the economy, Chief Wahab passionately appealed to the government.
Chief Wahab intimated that butchers in Ghana could equally compete with those in the advanced countries if proper environment is created for the stakeholders in the meat industry.
Commenting on the three very important religious festivals he named them as Edit Fitir, Edil Adha and Christmas ahead of the country, he advised butchers to effectively plan ahead to avoid meat shortages during such occasions.
This is because such occasions are dear to every Ghanaian who relies on meat among others to grace the occasion, and it would be disappointed if meat suppliers failed to live up to their mandates, Chief Wahab hinted.
Concluding he reiterated that with the current appreciation of the currency, butchers are ready to serve the country to improve health conditions of the citizenry, and the ball is in the government’s court to help butchers to help build an effective economy.
