Nigerian Retailers in the country have indicated that they will petition the president, Nana Akufo-Addo to stop attacks on them by their Ghanaian counterparts.
The Nigerian traders complained last week that they were being attacked by traders at Suame Magazine in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, for operating in the retail industry.
Speaking to Citi Business News, President of the Nigeria-Ghana Relations and Chief Executive Officer of SGI Firm, Yahaya Alhassan appealed to President Akufo-Addo to call to order Ghanaian traders in the various markets to restrain from removing foreign business people.
“For the past several years that we have been trading in Ghana, we have done nothing but to live in peace with our brothers. We have no intention of taking over their businesses,” he noted.
Mr. Alhassan expressed their commitment towards fulfilling every duty required of them as they operate in the country, saying “we have fulfilled all obligations regarding our operations here”
He also expressed their preparedness to collaborate with authorities especially the Trade Ministry to bring the impasse to rest.
Meanwhile the committee on Retail Trade set up by the Trade Ministry to protect local retailers have been asked to continue their job.
In a joint statement issued by the Trade Ministry and the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), the Ministry said the decision was to ensure peace, sanity and order in the retail market, whilst ensuring compliance with relevant local laws and regulations.
Local retailers have accused the foreigners of taking over their businesses and flooding the market with substandard goods. They also accuse them of evading taxes.
By Nana Oye Ankrah/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
