July 27 deadline for foreigners to move out of retail business suspended

The July 27 deadline set by the government to deal with all foreigners engaged in retail businesses across the country has been suspended.

It explained that the decision to indefinitely suspend the enforcement of the provisions of the laws on retail business was taken after consultation with stakeholders.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry in a statement to announce the suspension of the deadline said it will allow for intensified sensitization and education in the domestic retail trade sector.

The government on July 11 issued a public notice to foreigners engaged in retail business, which is reserved for only Ghanaian nationals, to cease by July 27 or face legal action.

“Notice is hereby given to all non-Ghanaians who are engaged in retail trading activities contrary to the provision of the Act [GIPC Law 2013] to desist from doing so,” a public notice published in the national dailies by the Trade and Industry Ministry read it part.

The notice continued: “All persons engaged in such practices are therefore advised to stop to avoid legal actions being taken against them. Offenders are entreated to move out of the markets by Friday, July 27, 2018,”

Section 27 (1) of the GIPC Law 2013, (Act 865) states: “A person who is not a citizen or an enterprise which is not wholly owned by a citizen shall not invest or participate in the sale of goods or provision of services in a market, petty trading or hawking or selling of goods in a stall at any place.”

Despite this provision, foreigners in the country have over the years flooded the retail sector, particularly in the major cities, something that has been a major concern for the Ghana Union Traders Association (GUTA).

GUTA members have consistently argued that the participation of foreigners in retailing has been affecting their businesses.