The Ministry of Trade and Industries has stated that it would continue the exercise of locking up shops of foreigners who are engaged in retail trading in Ghana.
Director of Communications at the Ministry Prince Boateng in an interview on Joynews monitored by dreamzfmonline.com said the exercise which was started on 13th August, 2020 will continue despite threats by the Nigerian government to drag Ghana to the ECOWAS Court of Arbitration.
A committee set up by the Ministry of Trade has locked up over 290 shops belonging to foreigners most of whom are Nigerians. According to the ministry, the affected traders are flouting Ghanaian trade laws which prohibits foreigners from engaging in retail trading.
“We have no issues with anyone seeking legal redress but what is important is that we protect our laws and protect our Ghanaian businesses. We will continue the exercise and as I speak, the team is at Circle and from there they will be moving to other areas in Accra and later Takoradi and Sunyani,” he said.
Mr. Prince Boateng argued that the wisdom behind the law is to ensure that Ghanaians do not face unfair competition from foreigners especially at a time Ghana is focusing on an industrial agenda under its One District One Factory policy.
Meanwhile the Nigerian government through its Foreign Affairs Ministry has warned against using Nigerians in Ghana as pons ahead of the 2020 elections while serving notice that the matter will be sent before the ECOWAS Court for interpretation of the Ghanaian Trade Laws under which Nigerians are being denied trading on retail in Ghana.
But reports from Nigeria say there are no plans of reprisal attacks but expectations are high on a diplomatic resolution of the impasse.
