The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) at Kasoa in the central region furiously lamented over the continuous invasion of foreigners, including Nigerians, who are into retail business in the region, prohibited by Ghana’s law.

Bright Agyemang, the General Secretary of GUTA at Kasoa, expressed concern over the inability of the government to enforce the laws on foreign businesses in Ghana.

He said members of the association were becoming angry and impatient towards the persistence of foreigners to occupy retail businesses in Ghana.

Meanwhile, Agyemang urged the government to address the issue to avoid it from degenerating.

He said: “The foreigners have taken over our market, that is why GUTA is complaining. They have taken over all market across the country as it is now. Kasoa is the strongest area of these foreigners.

“So we are praying to the government to come to our aid.

“The law says a foreigner cannot do retail except Ghanaian, but foreigners are doing retail in our markets, and so we will close their shops. We will use the law, we will enforce the law to close their shops.”

For years, GUTA has literally been in a warfare with foreigners; especially, Nigerians, over retail trade in the country.

Last year, members of GUTA forcibly locked up some foreign owned shops in Greater Accra and Kumasi in the Ashanti region.

The trade war led to a high powered delegation flying from Nigeria to Ghana to meet parliament over the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) law that prevent foreigners from engaging in the retail business.

However, the National President of Nigeria Union of Traders Association, Ghana, (NUTAG), Chukwuemeka Nnaji, argued that “the ECOWAS protocol gives all citizens of member state equal rights to do business, reside, and establish a business in each member State”.

Ijeoma Njoku reporting, Obinwannem News