President of the Nigerian Traders Association of Ghana, Chief Emeka Nnaji, says the consistent lock-up of Nigerians’ shops by the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is due to envy.
Nnaji, in an interview on Joy FM’s Newsnight Wednesday, decried the frequent attacks of Nigerian traders in the country by their Ghanaian counterparts.
His comments come after the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association locked up all the shops belonging to Nigerians in the area on Tuesday.
According to the Association, the laws of Ghana do not allow foreigners to engage in retail trade, the reason for their action.
They also accuse the Nigerians of selling substandard products at low prices; a practice the Ghanaian traders say is killing their businesses.
But Nnaji described the Ghanaian traders’ actions as ‘laughable,’ noting that the perpetrators also breach the law when they carry out such activities.
“They (GUTA) themselves do not know what the law is about. If they did, they wouldn’t have locked up anybody’s shop, because that in itself is a crime.”
He said supposing the claims that their trade is illegal is true, unilaterally locking up their shops is also unlawful, and “two wrongs do not make a right.”
He further suggested all relevant stakeholders should have a meeting and identify a sustainable solution to this canker.
Nnaji said the disagreement, which started in 2007, adversely affects business owners, adding that could affect the relationship between the two countries.
