President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association, (GUTA), Dr. Joseph Obeng has revealed that the impasse between Ghanaian traders and their Nigerian counterparts looks to be closing in on a resolution.
Speaking on Plan B FM ‘Ebaanosen’ with Bohyeba Afriyie, Dr. Joseph Obeng, revealed that a special dispensation has been arranged and will hopefully see the matter resolved.
“The special dispensation gives our brothers from Nigeria who have been here before 2020 the opportunity to present their documents for clearance to qualify under the dispensation to trade so with time they can regularize with the GIPC and peacefully coexist with us.” he stated.
Dr. Obeng intimated that there has been a negative response from the Nigerian counterparts.
“First they pleaded for time to produce the documents for scrutiny and acceptance into the special dispensation. When the time was up, they said they could not comply with the terms of reference there and want to enjoy the equal rights of the locals. That infuriated us and we thought they are taking us for a ride,” he narrated.
He was however emphatic that the special dispensation does not cover retail traders who came aboard after 2020.
Trade tensions between the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) and the Nigeria Union of Traders, Ghana (NUTAG), have been on the rise over the past decade, over what the former terms as infiltration of the retail market by foreigners.
The bone of contention has been whether it is lawful or otherwise for these foreigners, particularly Nigerians to engage in the retail trade on Ghanaian soil.
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