Ms Ayorkor Botchwey and executives of GUTA
EXECUTIVES OF the
Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) have met with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey to discuss some
pertinent issues on retail trade by foreigners in Ghana.
The meeting, held
Wednesday at the Foreign Ministry in Accra, was also intended to provide the
platform to discuss the issue of the closure of border by Nigeria.
The closure of the
Igolor and Seme-Krake (Nigeria-Benin) border by Nigeria is said to be affecting
Ghana’s export along that corridor.
During the
meeting, the Minister told GUTA that the matter was being handled at the
highest level.
It would be
recalled that following complaints by GUTA that foreigners were engaging in
retail trade, the Ministry of Trade and Industry constituted a task force of
relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to check the involvement
of foreigners engaged in retail and petty trading, contrary to Section 27 (1a)
of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act 856, 2013.
The work of the
taskforce sparked agitation among foreigners engaged in commercial activities
in Ghana, especially Nigerians and Chinese.
In an effort to
address the situation, the Ministry of Trade and Industry deferred the
exercise, to make room for further consultations.
GUTA reacted and
registered its opposition to the deferment.
The Association
went on to call for the enforcement of the GIPC law 21(1a), Act 856 of 2013 or
its abolition, if it could not be implemented.
According to GUTA
at the time, Nigerians and other foreigners were taking over the trading
activities of its members under unfair competition because they (foreigners)
had access to cheap forms of loans in their respective countries, they
conducted trading activities from their homes instead of shops, among others.
With pressure from
GUTA, the Ministry of Trade and Industry issued a public notice banning
non-Ghanaian citizens from engaging in retail trade.
In the heat of the
agitations, Ghana Mission in Abuja also reported that, following the alleged
eviction of Nigerian retailers from the Ghanaian market, some Civil Society
groups in Nigeria were putting pressure on their government to retaliate by
evicting Ghanaians from Nigeria.
It was further
indicated that the Nigerian media blew up the issue to the extent that it was
linked to the Aliens Compliance Order of 1969, which forced about half a
million Nigerians out of Ghana in 1971, and the repatriation of Ghanaians from
Nigeria in 1983.
Consequently,
Nigeria had to close its border in apparent retaliation.
She, however,
acknowledged that there are problems associated with the implementation of the
protocol which are being addressed through various community instruments and
high level engagements.
BY Melvin Tarlue
