Ghana Traders Association Shuts Down Nigerian Owned Shops

Members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) on Thursday shut down shops owned by Nigerians in five markets in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region capital.

It was the second time this year the association would shut Nigerian-owned shops, claiming it was waging a war on foreigners doing retail business in the country.

GUTA claimed foreign retailers flout section 27 of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act 865, which forbids their involvement 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 must be reserved for Ghanaians.

The law also bans foreigners from operating taxis, beauty salons, selling medicine, production and sale of sachet water, among others.

The markets where Nigerian traders were shut out were in Kejetia, Suame Magazine, Adum and Asafo. markets were all yanked out of the shops on Thursday, reports Asenso Mensah.

GUTA Public Relations Officer, Albert Mensah Offei, told Joy FM that the action will soon be extended to other parts of the country.

However, according to Ghanaweb.com, the action of the association is being interpreted as a retaliation for the closure of the Nigerian land border, which has affected traders in the West African region.