Ghana Union of Traders Association gives government final ultimatum to enforce laws on retail trade

In a statement issued by GUTA on Monday, it said that if the government fails to act on their demand they will advise themselves.

“…if we do not see concrete action by the authorities to decisively deal with the situation, we shall advise ourselves on the next line of action, which will be staged nationwide, and will damn the consequence, especially if security agencies are used as state machinery to suppress us.”

Section 27 (1) of the GIPC Act states that only Ghanaian citizens can 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.

However, the government has failed to enforce this law to the letter and has instead opted for diplomacy in handling the resulting tensions.

Due to this members of GUTA have locked up shops owned by foreign traders among other clashes.

Police have normally intervened to calm the situation and protect foreign traders.

GUTA said this “final warning” to the state was because the current tensions are “creating serious insecurity in the country.”

“Laws are made primarily to ensure orderliness, peace and security. Failure to enforce law results to the contrary. So the failure to protect the constitution and sovereign laws of Ghana by the very people who have sworn to protect the country, in itself, is a recipe for insecurity.”

“In view of this, we hereby issue ultimatum of one week to the government, to ensure that all state institutions responsible for the enforcement of our laws on retail trade by foreigners in the country are implemented to the letter as it is done in all sovereign states to bring peace and its attendant security," the statement added.