National Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Sammi Awuku says there is a need for a national debate on the involvement of foreign nationals in the retail business in the country so a definite decision can be reached.
According to him, successive governments have failed to stop the trend because Ghana is a signatory to the Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States which conflicts with the GIPC law on petty trading.
He says dealing with the matter has political implications.
Section 27(1) of the Ghana Investments Trade and Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act 865 states “a person who is not a citizen or enterprise which is not wholly owned by citizens shall not invest or participate in sale of goods or provision of service in a market, petty trading or hawking or selling of goods in a store.”
Meanwhile, Article 27 of the Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States to which Ghana is a signatory calls on Member States to exempt Community citizens from holding visitor's visa and residence permits and allow them to work and undertake commercial and industrial activities within their territories
Sammi Awuku explains that if the country insists on stopping Nigerians and citizens of other ECOWAS member states from petty trading, Ghana will be exempted from the treaty and Ghanaian citizens residing in other member states will also be prevented from engaging in such.
“we must take a decision as a country because Ghanaians also trade across the world… Parliament needs to debate this issue extensively and reach a consensus, so no party uses in against the other during an election period,” he stated.
Sammi Awuku was speaking on PeaceFM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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IT IS INSULTING TO RESERVE PETTY TRADING FOR GHANAIANS. GHANAIANS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MINE THEIR OWN GOLD WITHOUT A LICENCE. NO FOREIGNER SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO TOUCH TIMBER IN THIS COUNTRY. HOW CAN YOU EXPORT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF TIMBER FRO SAMRABOYE AND LEAVE THE PLACE AS ONE OF THE POOREST IN THE WORLD? AND WE HAVE HUMANS BEINGS WORRYING ABOUT NIGERIANS DOING PETTY TRADING! YOU'RE DRILLING OIL AND YOU'RE BUYING OIL AT INTERNATIONAL PRICE AND IT DOESN'T BOTHER YOU? WHAT BOTHERS YOU IS YOUR OWN FLESH AND BLOOD NIGERIAN? CHECK YOUR HEAD!!!!!
THE WHITE MAN IS TAKING YOUR OIL, GOLD, DIAMOND, TIMBER, FISH, BAUXITE, HE HAS EVEN HIJACKED YOUR CEDI AND HES PRINTING IT BY FORCE EVEN THOUGH WE CAN AND SHOULD PRINT OUR OWN CURRENCY. ALL THESE BS IS GOING ON AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PETTY TRADING! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK NIGERIANS ARE TAKING OVER YOUR BUSINESS, NOTHING STOPS YOU FROM COMPETING! DANGOTE BROUGHT HIS CEMENT TO THIS COUNTRY AND THAT ALONE HAS STABILIZE THE CEMENT PRICE AND IT HAS ALSO IMPROVED THE QUALITY. LEAVE THE COINS AND GO IN FOR THE OIL AND GOLD THE WHITES ARE TAKING AWAY. PETTY TRADING IS PETTY OIL AND GAS IS SERIOUS CASH. GOLD IS SERIOUS, LETS STOP ALL THE FOREIGNERS FROM MINING ACTIVITIES.
silly talks, who is giving the foreigners the upper hand? are we not the same people? very soon China will also take over our gold mines.
We the Citizens can solve these problems without the help of politicians. Don't rent your shops and houses to them. Two stop buying from them. If the have no accommodation and any business to do they would leave. We should also stop the inter marriage with immediate effect, problem solved period!
Very Sad! Awuku, don't disappoint us with such statements.l am ashamed of you.Do you belong to Busia's paradigm?He preached that the commanding heights of Ghana's economy should be in Ghanaian hands.Today,you people are chickening out on this fine nationalistic principle.Are you guys paying lip service to Prof's ideology?Come on guys!Do what our laws say,and quickly!!!