The Ministry of Trade and Industry has cautioned the Ghana Union of Traders Associations to refrain from locking up any more shops belonging to Nigerians who are operating in Ghana’s retail space.
This follows the setting up of a joint taskforce composed of the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA) and the Nigeria Union of Traders Association (NUTAG) meant to bring an end to the tussle between Ghanaian and Nigerian traders.
In recent months, the disagreement between Ghanaian and Nigerian traders in Ghana’s retail space has intensified.
The situation in the past weeks has lead to the closure of foreign-owned shops in Koforidua and Accra in the Eastern and Greater Accra Regions respectively because of stalled negotiations under the taskforce.
The taskforce is to implement the provisions of the new framework of engagement for the participation of the Nigerian nationals in retail in Ghana.
This was contained in a press release by the Ministry of Trade and Industry following a high-level bilateral meeting between Ghana and Nigeria with regard to retail trade.
“The Joint Taskforce co-chaired by a senior representative of the Ghana International Trade Commission (GITC) and a representative of the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, met on three occasions, first on 10th August 2021, second on 13th August 2021 and subsequently on 31st August 2021. The deliberations in these meetings were inconclusive, which has resulted in public comments from both GUTA and NUTAG on disagreements between the two parties in the implementation of the agreed framework of engagement for the participation of Nigerian national in retail trade in Ghana”.
“In this regard, another meeting of the Joint Implementation Taskforce has been scheduled for Tuesday 5th October 2021 to resolve the impasse”.
“Against this background, the Ministry requests the leadership of GUTA and NUTAG to refrain from further press releases, the closure of shops, and any other actions in respect of this matter until the convening of the next meeting of the taskforce as referenced above”.
“The leadership of GUTA and NUTAG are accordingly requested to notify their members to comply with this directive”, the letter stated.
Source:Fiilafmonline/JoyBuss
