The Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA) has petitioned President Buhari to call the Nigerian retailers in the country over its false allegations on matters pertaining to the ongoing feud.
In a statement signed by the President, Dr. Joseph Obeng to President Buhari, it claimed some Nigerian traders have discredited the government anytime retail laws are being enforced.
“The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) has noticed with great concern the numerous misinformation being carried out by the Nigerian Union of Traders’ Association in Ghana through press releases and petitions to their government and ECOWAS Commission about the retail trade law in Ghana and wish to respond appropriately, to clear the air of any misconception about Ghana.
“The attitude of these Nigerians, if not checked and handled well, will strain the already existing cordial relations between our two sister countries and adversely affect the integration of the sub regional bloc. They need to be called to order.”
In light of this, Dr. Obeng called out NUTAG who according to him, deem it necessary to spread false information about the situation.
“However, GUTA has noticed with much concern the behaviour of a section of Nigerian traders in Ghana by the name NUTAG, who anytime the authorities in Ghana want to enforce our sovereign laws, resort to weird allegations and other highly dubious tactics of disinformation”.
GUTA similarly spelled out its concerns to Nigeria’s President over the retail feud which has caused some tension between the two countries and the true reflection of the current goings on in the retail business.
He said that, “the free movement of people, goods and services are being strictly observed and respected in Ghana”.
According to him, Ghana’s retail market has always been open to all ECOWAS citizen. However, “Nigeria short-listed over forty (40) products from entering her country in order to protect her local industries”.
He also stressed on the fact that the ECOWAS protocol does not permit dumping under any circumstance; like any other local or international treaty and as a result, “Ghana has never targeted any ECOWAS citizen who deals in goods and services produced in a member country”.
Another issue he cited in the letter to President Buhari includes the investment law in Ghana which “does not drive or encourage foreign investment into retail and petty trading. The law is mainly to discourage dumping of goods from countries outside the ECOWAS Community, so as to boost local production and better the lot for the local manufacturer, as well as grow and develop our local economy. Therefore, the one million dollar requirement and the employment of, at least, twenty skilled Ghanaians are not only deterrent to investment in retail trade but also to drive investment to a more formalized trading sector in the form of Supermarkets and Big Wholesales, to ensure employment creation, security and stability in our economy.”
