Rice Importers Threaten Demo � Over Gov�t�s Collapse Of Business

Information available to this paper indicates that local rice traders across the country have threaten to hit the streets to press home their demand over what they describe as unfair treatment been meted to them by government. According to our sources, the traders have accused government of trying to rob them off their daily bread in order to promote non nationals by secretly putting a ban on inland importation of rice. Our sources revealed that the traders whose goods have been locked up at the borders are said to be losing their goods to thieves and rebels who have taken advantage of their unfortunate situation. Describing the Mahama administration as insensitive to the plight of its own nationals, our sources say the governments action on the ban of inland rice importation has deprived them of their capital since the little money they had, have been locked up �living them to their fate�. Threatening to hit the streets if government does do anything about the situation, the traders told this paper that they do not understand why the ministry decided to give them a raw deal though they deal in genuine business by paying all their duties accordingly. They mentioned that government only gave them two weeks ultimatum from October 14, 2013, to November 1, 1013, to stop the rice importation through the borders and use either the airport or the habour, meaning their means of transportation must either be by ship or plane, which they say they cannot afford due to their per capital base. They lamented that this directive came in at a time when they had spent a lot of money which they acquired through loan to order for goods during the Christmas festivity. The local small scale rice importers further pointed out that they were however excited when government lifted the ban on February 4, 2014, adding that this encouraged many of them to invest more in the rice importation business only for them to get to the borders in the hope to pay their duties in order for them to transport their goods to be denied entry by customs officials. �Our goods have been at the boarders since last year. We have called on government to come to our rescue but to no avail� they cried out. They however mentioned that the most painful aspect of their situation was that the banks they borrowed from to do their business were chasing them for their monies which have been under lock and key. They said this calculated attempt to collapse their businesses does not come as a surprise to them as it has always been the dream of large scale rice importers who are mainly foreigners to bring their businesses down in order for the local importers to buy from them. � Our excitement about the Ministry�s new directive has now been shuttered resulting in pain and financial loss as boarder officials say they still have to use either the airport or the habour to transport our rice�, the rice importers cried out. According to our sources at the borders, though the Ministry officially and openly lifted the ban, they have directed officials of the borders not to allow the rice traders entry living them in a state of devastation as they do not know what to do.