The Ghanaian government has instructed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to work out modalities to address issues about foreigners, mostly Nigerians engaged in retail business in Ghana, an action that violates the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC’s) GIPC Act. To this end, the government has set up a technical committee to look into the matter and make recommendations on ways the address the issue. This was made known during an interaction session between representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ghana National Union of Traders Association (GUTA) noting that the directive came from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The Ghanaian parliament has equally asked its subsidiary committee on Trade and Industry to also make recommendations to that effect. This is especially in the light of the concerns being raised by members of GUTA over some foreigners engaged in retail trading. This is against the backdrop of complaints by members of GUTA that Section 27 of the GIPC Act 865 specifically states that “A person who is not a citizen or an enterprise which 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.”
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The Ministry of Trade and Industry noted that the issue of foreigners taking over trading activities reserved for Ghanaians which has been your concern sometime has also come to the notice of government. The Minister’s aide Mr. Odonkor who made this known stated that “As directed by his Excellency, a technical sub-committee has been put together to ensure the implementation of the president’s directives on this matter”, he emphasized.
“Secondly, parliament has charged its subsidiary committee on Trade, Industry to study and make recommendations in a by-partisan manner with a view to finding a sustainable solution to this issue”, he added.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry