Traders in the Sunyani Business Community have lauded the Bank of Ghana (BoG)’s measures to sustain the Ghana cedi coin as a legal tender.

Their commendation followed a statement issued by the central bank warning that the rejection of the Ghana cedi coin for business transaction, was an offense punishable by law.

The BoG’s statement signed by Miss Aimee Vyda Quashie, its Secretary, said “refusing to sell a product to a buyer simply because the buyer is paying with cedi coins constitutes an offence”.

In reaction to the directive, some traders told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) market survey at the Sunyani Central Business District (CBD), that it was rather buyers who failed to recognise, appreciate and collect the Ghana cedi coins as a ‘change’ whenever they bought their products.

Mr Osei Boakye, a shop owner, said several of his customers failed to collect the 10 pesewas as change, worrying that the situation often caused problems between sellers and buyers.

For Madam Lucy Agyeiwaa, another trader at the CBD said some of her customers complained that they abhorred the Ghana cedi coins because they were unsafe to handle as they easily got missing.

She said it would be appropriate if the central bank could increase the sizes of the coins for safe keeping.

Mr James Ansu, a storekeeper, called on the BoG to intensify sensitisation for buyers to recognise and accept the cedi coin.

Nonetheless, he said he often agreed with some of the buyers who rejected the coins, saying that the 10 pesewas in particular ought to be phased out because of its size.