Trade Ministry to evict, prosecute non-Ghanaian retailers

Non-Ghanaians doing retail selling in 48 markets across the country face eviction and prosecution if they fail to relocate after a month, that’s the warning from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

In a notice of caution published in the Daily Graphic Friday September 5, 2014, the Ministry said such non-Ghanaians were contravening the West African country’s retailing laws.

The Ministry said: “…Notwithstanding numerous interventions by the government to encourage non-Ghanaians engaged in retail trading in the market place to relocate, some non-Ghanaians have refused to comply with the directive."

It warned that: “Take note that the continued operation of trading activities in the marketplace by non-Ghanaians is contrary to sections 27 (1) (a) and 28 (2) of the GIPC law 2013 Act 865”, which states that:

“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” and “a person who is not a citizen may engage in a trading enterprise if that person invests in the enterprise not less than US$1 million in cash or goods and services relevant to the investment.

“Such non-Ghanaians are, therefore, being given a 30-day notice to relocate outside the designated markets”, or “face prosecution in accordance with the law," the Ministry warned in the statement.

It added: “Non-Ghanaians, who further contravene the provisions of the act shall be prosecuted forthwith”. Thirty-five of the targeted markets are in the national capital- Accra- while 13 others are in Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Northern and Upper East Regions.

The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and the Ministry have collaborated in the past to undertake similar operations.

Local traders have constantly fought the non-Ghanaian retailers, arguing they encroach on their trading turf.