Suame Feud: Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Endorse Attack On Nigerians

The Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association has shown it support of the chaotic incident which ensued at the Suame Magazine in the Ashanti Region between Ghanaians and Nigerians traders.

A group of young men believed to be members of the Ghana Union of Traders' Association (GUTA), on Wednesday, June 19, ransacked and vandalized shops belonging to some Nigerian traders.

According to the traders, they were only enforcing the laws of Ghana which bar foreigners from engaging in the retail sub-sector, a preserve of Ghanaians.

Expressing its support at a press conference held on Thursday in Accra, a spokesperson for the Association, Mr. Francis Anum said: "We want to affirm our support to our brothers and sisters in Kumasi who have taken it upon themselves to defend the course of freedom and enforce the right in their business."

He said they have made several calls on successive governments to apply the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Law which forbids foreigners to engage in retail, but their calls have proven futile.

According to him, should government fail to apply the laws of the country with regards to ensuring that foreigners are excluded from the retail business within the next 14 days, they (spare parts dealers) will take action.

They further called on the government to be bold and enforce the laws which were made to protect Ghanaian retailers and also called for the release of their members who have been arrested in Kumasi.