The Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA) has appealed to the authorities to be bold and clamp down on foreigners operating in the retail space in the country.
Speaking on Ghanakoma morning show on Akoma 87.9fm in Kumasi with Sir John, on Thursday, December 11,2025, GUTA Deputy National PRO, Albert Mensah Offei, said, the retail market, which hitherto was reserved for Ghanaians has now become a safe haven for foreigners, who flood the market with cheap products.
He observed that foreigners are invading Ghana’s retail space with subsidized goods from overseas.
This, Mr. Offei lamented is gradually pushing Ghanaian traders and manufacturers out of business.
He appealed to the government to take a firm action on retail trading laws, cautioning that the country’s markets risk being overrun by foreigners if decisive action is not taken.
According to him, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act 865 explicitly reserves petty trading and retailing activities for Ghanaians.
Yet despite this provision, foreigners continue to engage in these activities openly undermining local traders and threatening the survival of small businesses.
“For over 20 years we have been calling on successive governments to enforce the laws on retail trade, but our concerns have not been addressed. Government must be bold, act decisively and ensure the law is applied”, he said.
He argued that, while Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) protocol promotes regional trade, it does not permit foreigners to import cheap goods in the country. Instead, he insisted foreign investors should channel resources into large-scale ventures.
He observed that foreigners have taken over entire segments of the market, hawking goods like wax print, electrical appliances, cooking utensils and others.
He said in some cases, foreigners even go door-to-door offering items on credit, a practice he says is unfair and harmful to local businesses.
Source:Fiilafmonline/3News
