Tensions flared at Abossey Okai when a Nigerian spare parts dealer challenged a taskforce directive ordering the closure of his shop.

Captured in a widely circulated video, the trader questioned why he was being singled out while his Ghanaian counterparts continued operating freely.

“If your shops are open, why should mine be closed? How does that make sense?” he asked.

“If there’s an official announcement that all spare parts traders must shut down, I will comply,” he added.

The exchange became heated as taskforce members explained that the directive targeted foreign nationals operating in the retail space which was in line with Ghana’s investment laws.

The trader insisted on being granted an appointment to discuss the matter with the appropriate authorities.

But the situation escalated when one official threatened him with arrest, alleging he had issued a threat.

The confrontation comes amid a renewed enforcement drive by the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association, aimed at upholding the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act, 2013 (Act 865).

According to the Association’s Director of Communications, Takyi Addo, the focus is on Section 27(1) of the Act, which prohibits non-Ghanaians from engaging in retail activities such as hawking or selling goods in market stalls.

Despite these legal provisions, the Association claims that foreign traders continue to operate in the area, creating what it describes as unfair competition and threatening the viability of local businesses.

SA/MA

Watch the video below: