The call comes at a time when some Chinese nationals have been arrested for engaging in illegal mining in Ghana.
In 2016, dealers of mobile phones, fish hooks and accessories as well as textiles appealed to government to clamp down on the operations by Chinese nationals working in the retail sector.
Speaking on developments in the sector, the Co-Chairman for the Mobile Phones & Accessories Dealers Association, Osei Agyeman stated that the intrusion of Chinese nationals into Ghana’s retail industry is gaining alarming levels.
“Like how they came into the galamsey, if you see one Chinese in your system in the next two months you will see more than 10. In the next three months, more than 20. So, if you see one or two you must be concerned. Because it looks like this is their next target after the galamsey so we are extremely concerned,” he lamented.
He maintained that government must find a lasting solution to the development before it gets out of control.
Adding his voice to the call, an Executive Member of the Ghana Union of Traders Association(GUTA) Benjamin Yeboah called on the Ghana Investment Promotion Center(GIPC) to be proactive in regulating the activities of foreigners in the retail sector.
“We have been in talks with GIPC all these past years and they know what the Act 865 says and therefore it is their mandate to monitor. Even before we meet them we feel they know what the law says so they should be doing their work. It’s as if we have to prompt them to do their work and I don’t think its proper,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Osei Agyeman has indicated of massive job layoffs should the situation go unattended to.
He pointed out that “Day in and day out you see all these things when they come into the market then we can’t even sell.
“The best thing to do is to lay off workers if not we will rather incur debts. So we eventually have to painfully let them go,” he added.
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Source: citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
