Ghana, Nigeria ‘retail trade war’ resurface again

Tensions resurface for Ghana between local traders and dema Nigerian counterparts over retail business feud for Opera Square Market wey dey Accra.

Some members of de Ghana Electrical Dealers Association, take force lock foreign-owned shops after dema claims say some Nigerian nationals dey operate illegally in de retail business.

De local traders say dem do de lockdown so say government go enforce de law wey dey stop foreigners from de retail market.

"We dey tell foreigners sey make dem leave wana market. We not dey tell dem sey make dem leave de country" one executive of de Ghana Electrical Dealers Association, Kofi Amanfo Ofori talk.

National President of de Nigerian Union of Traders Association, Ghana (NUTAG) Chukwuemeka Nnaji, talk BBC Pidgin say "de ECOWAS protocol dey gives all citizens of member states equal rights to do business, reside and establish a business in each member state."

"We Nigerians in Ghana have de right to trade for any kind of business inside, de law dem dey quote no be not applicable to Nigerians" Chukwuemeka Nnaji talk.

But de Ghanaian traders insist dem want make government enforce Section 27 (1) of the GIPC Act which limits retailing in de country to only Ghanaians.

Some Ghanaian lawmakers propose say make ECOWAS hold emergency meeting to resolve dis issue for West African where countries like Burkina Faso, Togo, Cote D'Ivoire, Liberia and Nigeria also prevent Ghanaian goods from accessing of dema markets.

President of de Ghana Union of Traders Association, Dr. Joseph Obeng, say he dey support de calls for foreigners to leave etail sector for de country, but he condemn de forceful locking on Nigerian shops by some Ghanaian traders.

BBC Pidgin try reach Trade Ministry for reaction on de matter but dem no respond to wana calls.