The government has condemned the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) for encouraging its members to close shops that belong to Nigerian nationals in Kumasi, as a retaliation to the closure of the Nigeria-Benin border. Speaking on a local Radio station in Accra Deputy Minister of Trade, Carlos Ahenkorah said the unlawful act by GUTA members could trigger a bigger trade impasse between Ghana and Nigeria. He said the sheer size of Nigeria’s economy requires that some amount of tact is applied when dealing with its citizens in Ghana.
Mr Ahenkorah appealed to GUTA to allow time to find solutions to their concerns. GUTA members in Kumasi yesterday went round and closed some shops belonging to Nigerian nationals. This incident took place at Allarbar, Adehyeman Gardens area and Kejetia. GUTA Financial Secretary in Ashanti Region, Maxwell Bamfoh said the closure was in reaction to what they called government’s failure to enforce the law which bans foreigners from engaging in retail trade.
