The Northern Progressive Traders Association of the Ghana Union Traders Association (GUTA) has issued a two weeks ultimatum to government to bring foreigners in retail business to order.
It stressed that it cannot be held responsible for any actions if the government fails to compel the foreigners to respect Ghana’s laws.
GUTA in the Northern region said they are not against foreigners engaging in lawful business but they cannot allow a few foreigners who do not respect Ghana’s laws to collapse their businesses
Addressing the media on the current impasse between Ghanaian traders and their foreign counterparts in Tamale, the Progressive Traders Secretary, Mr Thomas Adei explained that their intended demonstration has nothing to do with what is happening between traders in Suame Magazine in Kumasi and Nigerians.
He told the media that Ghanaian Traders cannot no longer tolerate unfair trade practices and the earlier the relevant authorities such the Ghana Promotion Center (GIPC), the Immigration Service need to put fit their feet firmly on the ground, the better it will be for all parties.
Mr. Adei explained that, most goods are brought to Ghana either from China in Asia or Nigeria. Nigeria he added has a big market commonly called the Trade Fair located in Logos.
However, Ghanaian traders cannot go into states in Nigeria where spare parts are manufactured.
He mentioned Nnewi, Enugu and Port Harcourt as some of the states where any traders in the sub-region can get cheap spare parts but these markets are reserved for only Nigeria nationals and any foreigner who ventures there does so at his/her risk. “You would be shot, you would not come back to tell your story.” Mr. Adei alleged.
He explained further that, the same Nigerians would bring the goods to the Trade Fair in Logos and sell them to Ghanaians while at the same time travelling to Ghana to engage in retail. This, he said, was dealing a severe blow to the survival of Ghanaian businesses because they cannot compete with their Nigerian counterparts.
Mr. Adei dismissed claims that the union intended demonstration was not to incite the public against the foreigners because they follow due process in seeking police permit to comply with the public order act.
On whether the intended demonstration would be peaceful or not, the northern regional chairman of Progressive traders, Alhaji Haruna Yasa stated emphatically that if the foreigners fail to comply with the laws in the country they would not be allowed to sell their wares. He advised them to go back to whole sales and leave retailing to Ghanaians.
Alhaji Yasaba told the media that there are over 20 different foreign nationals engaging in all manner of business in Tamale and most of them are violating the GIPC law that bans them from engaging in retail.
He refuted claims by the foreigners that Ghanaian traders do not pay when they buy from them and challenged those foreigners to send the defaulters to court to retrieve their goods or their monies.
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