The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has instructed the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) to immediately suspend its operation of locking up shops belonging to foreign nationals involved in retail trade, following a closed-door meeting between the two parties. 

The directive was in a press statement issued by the Assembly after the meeting to address rising tensions between local traders and foreign retailers within the Kumasi metropolis. 

According to the statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, the Mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi, acknowledged GUTA’s concerns over what the group described as increasing foreign encroachment into the local retail space, contrary to Ghana’s trade regulations.  

He assured the leadership of the union that the Assembly remained committed to resolving the issue lawfully and sustainably. 

The Mayor urged GUTA to prioritise dialogue and collaboration rather than unilateral actions, stressing that the matters raised required coordinated efforts among state institutions. 

As part of measures to address the long-standing dispute, the KMA has constituted a multi-agency committee comprising representatives from the Ghana Immigration Service, Customs Division of the GRA, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Investment Promotion Council, KMA, and GUTA.  

The committee is expected to oversee investigations, monitor compliance, and guide enforcement actions in accordance with existing trade laws. 

In the interim, the Assembly has advised all foreign nationals currently engaged in retail trading within the metropolis to voluntarily vacate the retail space by December 9, 2025.  

This, the release indicated, was to prevent any forceful removal during a joint enforcement operation to be conducted by security agencies, the KMA, and GUTA. 

The directive, the Assembly explained, formed part of efforts to restore order and ensure compliance with Ghana’s trade regulations, while maintaining sanity within the local market environment. 

The KMA expressed confidence that with cooperation from all stakeholders, the implementation of the directive would be carried out peacefully and smoothly.