In a statement, the Ministry of Trade and Industry threatened to take legal action against non-Ghanaians who do not adhere to the directive.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has given non-Ghanaians in the retail sector upto July 27, 2018, to leave the markets or face the wrath of the government.
In a statement, the Ministry threatened to take legal action against non-Ghanaians who do not adhere to the directive.
“Notice is hereby given to all non-Ghanaians who are engaged in retail trading activities contrary to the provision of the Act [GIPC Law 2013] to desist from doing so. All persons engaged in such practices are therefore advised to stop to avoid legal actions being taken against them,” the Ministry’s statement directed.
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“Offenders are entreated to move out of the markets by Friday, July 27, 2018,” the statement added.
According to the Ministry, the country’s laws make it clear that the retail sector is a preserve of Ghanaians only.
It cited section 27 (1) of the GIPC Law 2013, (Act 865) which states that, “A person who is not a citizen or an enterprise which is not wholly owned by a citizen shall not invest or participate in the sale of goods or provision of services in a market, petty trading or hawking or selling of goods in a stall at any place,” the Trade Ministry warned non-Ghanaians selling goods or dispensing services in the retail sector to “be advised accordingly.”
This news may come as a welcoming one to Ghanaian retailers. They have been calling on the government for some time now to sack foreigners including the Chinese invading the retail sector.
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In 2016, some fishing gear retailers threatened to close down shops operated by Chinese nationals if the government does not stop them from establishing retail businesses.
According to the aggrieved traders, the Chinese who are mainly their suppliers had also established shops in the country and are engaging in retailing of the fishing gears and other equipment.
They further disclosed that the Chinese had employed Ghanaians who fronted as owners of the shops.