Members of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Traders Union Association (GUTA), have given the government a 72-hour ultimatum to address issues concerning the influx of foreigners engaging in retail businesses in the country or face their wrath.
The association on Tuesday combed some principal streets in the region to reiterate their concerns.
According to the leadership of the Association, consistent calls to authorities to address their concerns have been unsuccessful so far hence their threat.
Speaking to Citi News, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of GUTA, Ali Mohammed Ahmed called on government to act fast in a bid to save their businesses from unfair competition from foreigners.
“They [foreigners] are collecting all retail businesses in Ghana. Some Chinese are roasting plantain, others are selling sachet water. What of those our youth, brothers, children who leave school and there is no work? At the moment there is a freeze on employment, how do we survive? Crime is the only answer and we don’t want it to be so.”
“If a foreigner wants to come and invest in Ghana, he has to do either wholesaling or manufacturing. And according to the law he/she should have between $200,000 to $1 million because he/she is coming to invest as an investor. But what do we see; they even sell in containers, trucks and vehicles.”
Mr. Ahmed also complained that all efforts to get authorities to bring sanity in the sector in the Region have proved futile.
“We have exhausted all diplomatic avenues including speaking with the Regional Minister, KMA boss and we’ve even gone to see the Trade Minister, but we’ve seen no positive results. So if we should sit back, in fact the whole nation will be taken over by foreigners. We’ve presented a number of petitions; this is the last petition we are sending. Most of the foreigners do not even pay taxes anyway,” he fumed.
Ghanaian businesses cry foul over take over by Chinese
Some Ghanaian businesses engaged in the sale of fishing gears and other equipment had cried foul over an alleged take-over of their businesses by Chinese traders.
According to them, the situation, coupled with the harsh economic condition had impacted adversely on their operations compelling some of them to fold up.
Source: citifmonline.com
