Prime News Ghana

GUTA vows to extend lock-up of shops owned by foreigners to other parts of the country

By Mutala Yakubu
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Members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association, GUTA have vowed to extend the lock-up of shops owned by foreigners to other parts of the country.

This they will compel the government to apply the country's trade laws on retail trade.

Some Ghanaian retail traders over the past months locked up shops of foreigners especially Nigerians in Accra and Kumasi.

They accused the Nigerians of not paying tax and selling substandard goods to the public which is collapsing their businesses.

READ ALSO: Laws on retail trade : GUTA agrees to meet Nigerian Union of Traders

The traders say they will ensure the Ghana Investment Promotion Council fully implement its own law to protect local business.

PRO of the Ashanti Regional GUTA Albert Mensah Ofei speaking to Joy News says they will spread the action to other parts of Ghana if the government does not intervene.

"Not Nigerians alone, they have locked even Chinese shops because it is in the law of Ghana that foreigners have no right to do retailing but the government has not acted on that for years. Recently Nigeria even closed their border without informing other countries, meanwhile, these same people are flouting our rules and regulations concerning trade so we are taking action. It is not going to be only Kumasi, it will cut across, Accra, Takoradi, Sunyani etc. We want to prove to the government that they should use the law."

Luv FM's Nana Asenso Mensah said almost all shops that were locked in Kumasi that are owned by foreigners have been opened except the ones at Suame Magazine.

The leadership of the Nigerian traders say they are disappointed by the actions of Ghanaians and this has affected their businesses.

READ ALSO: Accra : Ghanaian traders lock up Nigerian shops at Opera Square again

They added that they hope both factions find an amicable situation to this issue in the coming days.