Decision to review Ghana’s retail laws is ‘laughable’ – GUTA

The Traders Association of Ghana has called the latest decision by the Ghanaian delegation to ECOWAS to review the retail trade laws “laughable”.

It comes after the head of Ghana’s delegation to the sub-regional parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, said that all unfair trade practices in Ghana and Nigeria must end.

In an interaction with GhanaWeb in response to an earlier report published by KaspaFMOnline, Dr Obeng pointed out that the ECOWAS Parliament has been “biased” towards Ghanaians since the start of the retail standoff between Ghana and the country. Nigeria.

“The decision of the ECOWAS Parliament to review the GIPC law is rather laughable and unthinkable because where is ECOWAS? Their mandate is not to revise the sovereign laws of countries. I am however not surprised why the ECOWAS Parliament is not successful with most of its policies”

“They openly supported and endorsed the closing of Nigerian borders, claiming that member states were abusing the rule of origin. Why can’t the same rules of origin be approved in Ghana when their investment law is against the dumping of goods from other countries outside the jurisdiction of ECOWAS? »

“It seems they are confused and don’t know what they are doing. Their mandate is to monitor and enforce their own rules and commitments, especially with regard to rules of origin, which is a cardinal principle of the sub-regional trade pact,” Dr. Joseph Obeng emphasized.

“We have to ask Alexander Afenyo Markin what his delegation in the ECOWAS parliament was able to argue when Nigeria closed its borders due to the abuse of rules of origin by member states,” questioned the president of the GUTA.

Already, the trade union body has kicked in against government plans to revise the GIPC Act which allows Nigerian retailers to facilitate trade in Ghana.

GUTA Chairman Dr Joseph Obeng previously called the decision a ‘slap in the face’ for the retail community in Ghana and he believes it will further worsen the plight of Ghanaian retailers who are already struggling to make ends meet. in retail. sector.

In December 2019, the Ghana Union of Traders Association closed over six hundred stores owned by Nigerian retailers at Nkrumah Circle in Accra.

This move was replicated in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, as most shops owned by Nigerian traders were also forced to close that year after Ghanaian traders alleged that Nigerian traders had taken over the trade. retail in the country.

The decision sparked a clash between Ghanaian traders and Nigerian traders, resulting in the arrest of some of those involved while others were seriously injured.