News:
May 17, 2021
Deputy Ranking member on Trade Industry and Culture, Yusif Sulemana has said the current Nana Akufo-Addo government then in opposition politics the brouhaha that existed between Ghanaian and Nigerian traders.
According to him it has become an albatross around their neck, and he want to see commitment coming from the current government in resolving the matter.
“If it is about the law that is creating the problem, the former deputy trade Minister Carlos Ahinkorah has said the problem is the law, and if there is a problem with the law then we have parliament, and it is the right place where laws are amended”.
In an interview, he noted that it would be normal for the Executive arm of government to bring the issue to parliament for solution, but they have not, because there is no commitment
“I do not blame our local retailers because they are only ensuring that a law that is enshrined in our books is implemented and respected, so how do you blame them?”
Mr. Sulemana admitted that sometimes there are excess with the action of the Ghanaian traders, and that is where the problem is, and added that the Ghana Investment Promotion Act 865 section 27 clause 1 and 2 through to section 28, “that is where the whole problem is”, he said .
Act 865 section 28 clearly states that if you want to do retail business there is away to go about it, if you are not a Ghanaian, the conditions are difficult to meet, he noted.
“What is government doing to create the opportunity for them to tap into that great avenue of business in a manner that it would be a win-win situation for our local retailers to continue to benefit from it?”
Whiles our brothers and sisters from other countries would benefit from it, “government should not fold its arms as if things would be resolved on their own”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com