The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has said its members have never and will never prevent any African in Ghana from trading freely in goods and services that are produced in member states.

The group says it will fiercely resist any abuse of the rules by any member state.

GUTA has a longstanding misunderstanding with the authorities over foreigners taking part in retail trade in the country, which is against Ghana’s retail laws.

This has led to several clashes between Ghanaian traders and Nigerian traders, which led to the closure of many foreign-owned shops in the country by GUTA.

The shops were opened after a while.

In a press statement dated today, Wednesday, 21 July 2021, GUTA said: “If there should be any amendment to our investment laws regarding foreign retail trade in this country for Ghanaians to endorse, then it should be that: for having signed or ratified the ECOWAS protocol and the AfCFTA, any citizen of a member state who trades in goods manufactured in their respective countries and should be fully exempted from GIPC Act”.

“This is what will bring clarity and finality to this long-standing issue”.

The Association noted that it will not allow any foreigner who deals in impermissible goods under the protocol, to trade in Ghana with Ghanaians unless he/she duly comply with the GIPC law as clearly stipulated in Act 865.

“We shall also not allow any person or institution that may have a perceived agenda to amend the GIPC Act to please other countries to the disadvantage of the citizens of Ghana”, the statement said.

Below is the full statement: