GUTA to seek court order to back closure of foreign retail shops

The Eastern Regional branch of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has clear its intention to seek legal backing for closure of foreign retail shops.

The members who protested Monday, September 20, 2021, expressing  their displeasure over the activities of foreign retailers, also locked up some over 40 shops belonging to the foreigners.

In an interview with Accra-based Citi Fm, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Eastern Regional GUTA, Darlen Nana Boateng, said the court order will help to permanently stop foreigners from engaging in the retail business.

“Unfortunately, we meet one party, and they refer us to the other. We initially met with the Police who referred us to the Immigration Service, they also referred us to the Ministry of Trade. All parties keep tossing us around. It is as though we are not structured enough.”

“We intend to present our case before the court, hopefully, secure an injunction, and have the court order them to come with the appropriate documents before they can come and trade in our country, or simply abandon our markets.”

The disagreement between GUTA members and their foreign counterparts, particularly Nigeria, has spanned for years.

The local traders have argued that per Ghana’s laws, foreigners have no right to engage in retail trade within the country, as their activities affect the local retailers negatively.

The government subsequently set up a presidential committee to properly scrutinize all foreigners engaging in trading activities in the country.

This has led to the closure of several shops belonging to foreign retailers across the country.

Though there is free trade among ECOWAS countries, Ghana’s laws say a person who is not a citizen or an enterprise that 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.

There is also a $1 million minimum capital requirement for foreigners doing business in Ghana, in line with GIPC Act.

Suraya Alidu Malititi

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