The Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association has announced plans to begin enforcing the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act, 2013 (Act 865) starting Monday, September 8, 2025, targeting foreign nationals engaged in petty trading, hawking, or selling goods in stalls and markets, activities reserved exclusively for Ghanaian citizens under Section 27(1) of the Act.
The move aims to protect local traders from what the Association describes as unlawful competition undermining their livelihoods.
In a statement signed by its Director of Communications, Takyi Addo, the Association highlighted the persistent violation of the GIPC Act by foreigners operating in trading hubs like Abossey Okai, West Africa’s largest automotive spare parts market. “Successive governments have failed to ensure full enforcement of this Act, resulting in a persistent drain on the businesses of Ghanaian traders,” the statement read. “The time has come to uphold the law and protect local enterprise.”
The Association clarified that it supports foreign investment in Ghana for national development but insists that such activities must comply with trade laws. It called on state institutions and stakeholders to back the enforcement exercise to preserve local trade and secure the future of Ghanaian businesses. The initiative follows years of tensions, with similar actions in 2020 and 2021 leading to the closure of over 600 foreign-owned shops in Accra and Kumasi due to non-compliance with the GIPC Act.
This enforcement action, which may involve locking foreign-owned retail shops, has sparked debate, with the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) denying involvement in the planned closures, citing misinformation. The outcome of today’s exercise could further highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing foreign investment with the protection of local traders in Ghana’s retail sector
