The Trade Ministry is entreating foreign traders to register their businesses and meet the standard requirements to avoid the wrath of the ministry and Ghanaians at large.

The ministry has given a 10-day ultimatum to the foreign traders to register their business.

This comes after some shops belonging to foreigners were closed by members of the Abossey-Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association on Tuesday, July 29, 2020.

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Ghanaian traders have been engaged in a number of tussles with their Nigerian counterparts who are into the retail business in the country describing it as not prudent for the foreigners to engage in retailing.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the trade ministry Prince Boateng, the foreign traders should do well to pay their taxes after successfully regularizing their businesses.

“Go and register with the Registrar-General’s Department, go and pay your taxes. If all your documents are satisfactory then we have no problem with you”, Public Relations Officer, Prince Boakye Boateng,

He further advised the foreigners to ensure their resident permits along with all relevant business documents are in order.

He stressed that failure to heed to these directives would amount to the closure of their shops.

According to Mr Boateng, the task forces for the inspection in the market places are currently engaged in another assignment. He further revealed that they will be deployed to kick start with operations soon after the ongoing voter registration exercise

He explained that the security personnel to assist the task force in its work, have been deployed to the registration centres to maintain order.

He, however, pleaded with the Ghanaian retail traders to be patient and have faith in the Ministry to do their work without malice.

While praising the executives of Ghana United Traders Association (GUTA) for their cooperation, the PRO expressed his sympathy for the members of the association and assured them of actively working to protect the local retailers.

“I sympathize with them because some of them [GUTA members] may think their executives don’t act because the Trade Ministry has ‘whispered something into their ears, no one can do business in the country without first registering at the Register General’s Department. foreigners trading in the country without proper documentation are not being fair to the Ghanaian populace”

Paa Kweku Eshun|Talksafrica.com