The leadership of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association of Ghana (NUTAG) has asked its members at the Tip-Toe Lane to remain calm as discussions continue to have their shops reopened.
According to them, all efforts are being made to engage their Ghanaian counterparts to find a lasting solution to the current impasse.
President of the NUTAG, Chukwuemka Nnaji in a Citi News interview said, he hopes a scheduled meeting with the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA ) later today will resolve the problem.
“The issue at hand is a very critical one. But I want to call the attention that there has been no time that the governments of Nigeria and Ghana have put our troubles on their minds like this. Therefore, I am optimistic that very soon, all these will be resolved so everyone should be patient.”
Hundreds of shops owned by Nigerians have been locked up in a move by the GUTA to clamp down on foreigners engaged in retail business against Ghanaian laws.
After its initial promise not to open the shops, the leadership GUTA) have backed down on its decision and will now open the shops.
NUTAG and GUTA have been having running battles over the local retail space as the Ghanaian traders push for the enforcement of Ghana’s laws that prohibit foreigners from engaging in retail trade.
Local retailers in parts of Accra and Kumasi have in recent times locked up the foreign-owned shops, preventing the foreigners from going about their business.
NUTAG appeals to Akufo-Addo to ‘call GUTA to order’
NUTAG earlier appealed to President Nana Akufo-Addo to immediately intervene in its ongoing brawl with the GUTA.
NUTAG said it has endured enough of what it describes as the consistent harassment of its members since 2007.
According to the Association, President Akufo-Addo must intervene for a re-look at the laws GUTA takes advantage of to harass them.
“I can say that GUTA is trying to get itself to be a terrorist organization. Whatever they are doing is not in the best interest of Ghana. Ghanaians don’t support it. So I think it’s high time the government looks at the activities and know how to consult them. The government should call them to order and then revisit some of the provisions of the law that they take advantage of to promote this hate”.
