The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) has called on government to strictly enforce laws regulating retail trade to prevent foreigners from competing directly with Ghanaian traders in local markets.
Speaking in an interview, GUTA’s National 1st Vice Chairman, Clement Boateng, expressed frustration that successive governments have failed to uphold trade regulations, particularly the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act, which bars non-citizens from engaging in petty trading and hawking.
According to him, the lax enforcement has allowed foreign traders to dominate retail spaces such as Accra’s Abossey Okai market, leaving many local businesses struggling to survive.
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“It will get to a point where local traders will take the law into their own hands and start closing the shops of foreigners. We do not want to do that because it creates chaos, but citizens also have the right to enforce laws when authorities fail to act,” Mr. Boateng cautioned.
He further lamented that landlords often prefer renting stalls to foreigners who can afford higher prices, putting locals at a disadvantage. “If the government had imprisoned one or two landlords for renting out shops illegally, it would have deterred others. But even when we report such cases to the police, no action is taken,” he added.
In a press statement signed by its Director of Communications, Takyi Addo, GUTA reiterated that Section 27(1) of the GIPC Act explicitly prohibits foreigners from trading in markets and retail spaces. The group warned that continued violations threaten indigenous entrepreneurship and the livelihoods of Ghanaian traders.
GUTA therefore urged government and security agencies to act decisively, describing the situation as “unfair competition” that undermines the growth of local businesses.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem