GUTA threatens to close down foreign-owned shops in retail business

The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) at Kasoa in the Central region have threatened to close down shops of foreign nationals engaged in retail business.

The group said the invasion of foreigners in retail business is collapsing their businesses.

General Secretary of GUTA at Kasoa, Bright Agyemang, who spoke to a section of the media expressed worry over the government's inability to enforce the laws on foreign businesses in Ghana.

He said, members of the association are furious and becoming impatient towards the continuous invasion of foreigners in the retail business.

Mr Agyemang urged the government to address the issue to avoid it from degenerating.

He said: “The foreigners have taken over our market that is why GUTA is complaining, they have taken over all across the country but as it is now, Kasoa is the strongest area for these foreigners.

“So we are praying to the government to come to our aid.

“The law says a foreigner cannot do retail except Ghanaians but the foreigners are doing retail in our markets and so we will close their shops. We will use the law we will enforce the law to close their shops”.

GUTA and some foreign nationals especially Nigerians have been at war over retail trade in the country for years. Last year, members of GUTA forcibly locked up some foreign-owned shops in Greater Accra and Kumasi in the Ashanti region.

The trade war led to a high-powered delegation flying from Nigeria to Ghana to meet parliament over the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) law that prevents foreigners from engaging in retail business.

The National President of Nigerian Union of Traders Association, Ghana (NUTAG) Chukwuemeka Nnaji argued that "The ECOWAS protocol gives all citizens of member states equal rights to do business, reside and establish a business in each member state."