Nigerian traders engaged in Ghana’s retail space who have presented legal documents for the registration of their businesses will be able to conduct their operations peacefully.

This follows the presentation of documents of such traders by the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association (NUTAG) to the new presidential taskforce set up by the Ministry of trade and industry to find a solution to the long-standing trade impasse between Ghanaian and Nigerian traders in the retail space.

Despite the GIPC Act, 2013 (Act 865) prohibiting foreigners from engaging in retail trade in the country, some foreign nationals continue to engage in such activities.

This development and a lack of proper enforcement by regulatory agencies have led some Ghanaian retailers in some parts of the country in recent times to lock up the shops of foreigners.

However, during a recent meeting between the leadership of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), NUTAG and the presidential taskforce on retail trade, it emerged that after a five-month delay, NUTAG has presented the necessary documentation for some of its members to allow them operate in the country’s retail space.

President of GUTA, Joseph Obeng, explained to the media that once the presidential taskforce has validated all the documents, members of NUTAG will be allowed to operate.

“As you are aware we, the members of GUTA, have been spoken to, and we have made a lot of concessions to our Nigerian brothers. They were supposed to submit some documents somewhere in May, but they pleaded for more time to bring the documents. At a point, they came and said that it will be difficult for them to comply with those directives but during our last meeting they all agreed and the NUTAG leadership understood whatever was going on and agreed that they will bring documents and true to their word they have been able to submit their members’ documents that they have and that is what the committee is going to work with and then deal with those recalcitrant ones who do not have documents to submit, and then we will have our peace after”.

On his part, the president of NUTAG, Chief Chukuemeka Nnaji said his organization is ready to work with the presidential taskforce to ensure the right thing is done.

“I understand the fact that everybody is trying to do what they are supposed to do to protect his own interest, and that is fair. From the Nigerian side of it, we understand that Ghana is also part of ECOWAS and Nigeria too. There are laws that the country has that we also have to go by. At this point, we will work with the committee and pray that they will not cause more trouble for us, but everything will go smoothly and everybody will be happy”.