Trade Ministry warns foreigners in retail sector to regularise their trade by August 10

The Trade Ministry has served a notice to foreign traders whose businesses are not registered or do not meet the standard requirements, to do so before Monday, August 10, 2020, to avoid its wrath.

“Go and register with the Registrar-General’s Department, go and pay your taxes. If all your documents are satisfactory then we have no problem with you”, Public Relations Officer, Prince Boakye Boateng, told Captain Smart on Angel FM Thursday.

His comments come after some shops belonging to foreigners were locked up by members of the Abossey-Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association on Tuesday, July 29, 2020.

Ghanaian traders have been engaged in a number of tussles with their Nigerian counterparts who are into retail business in the country

Mr. Prince Boateng advised that foreigners should ensure their resident permits along with all relevant business documents are also in order. He added that failure to heed these directives would amount to closure of their shops.

He was quick to add that this would be carried out by the presidential task force on the authority of President Nana Akufo-Addo.

According to Mr. Boateng, the task force hasn’t been to the markets for inspection due to the ongoing voter registration exercise. He explained that the security personnel to assist the task force in its work have, been deployed to the registration centres to maintain order.

He pleaded with the Ghanaian retail traders to be patient and have faith in the Ministry to do their work.

While praising the executives of Ghana United Traders Association (GUTA) for their cooperation, the PRO said “I sympathise with them because some of them [GUTA members] may think their executives don’t act because the Trade Ministry has ‘whispered something into their ears.’’

He said no one can do business in the country without first registering at the Register General’s Department. To him, foreigners trading in the country without proper documentation are not being fair to the Ghanaian populace.