The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA), has agreed to reopen shops belonging to Nigerian traders. This follows a meeting between leaders of the association and the police command.
GUTA locked up nearly 600 shops belonging to Nigerians. The reason behind the action is foreigners breaching the GIPC Law in Section 27 of Act 865, which defines the boundaries of retail trade in Ghana. GUTA has labelled the Nigerians’ retail business a “killer” to local retail businesses by making local sellers uncompetitive.
The feud
The feud has been going on since 2017. GUTA’s frustration has been that governments both past and present have not shown the will to deal with the problem. The leadership of the association says it will open the shops on the basis of an earlier meeting with President Nana Akufo-Addo, who advised them to allow the rule of law to have its place in the matter. GUTA further says that its decision to reopen Nigerian shops is out of its respect for the president.
GUTA’s expectations
The association has agreed to reopen the shops more because of the appeal by the president than anything else. As they have shown in the course of their unrest, they expect both the Ministry of Trade and the broader government to step inactively and resolve the matter once and for all.
Sections of the Nigerian community claim that they are covered under the ECOWAS Protocol to engage in business in Ghana. However, it is alleged that the Nigerian version of the traders’ union, NUTAG, has appealed to the Ghanaian officials to reconsider the sections under Act 865 which restrain foreigners from engaging in retail trade in Ghana.
For GUTA not to strike again, they would want to see prompt action from the Ghanaian authorities. The Association not be satisfied with any outcome which falls short of offering tangible advantages to the Ghanaian trader.
