The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has directed all foreign nationals engaged in retail trading within the metropolis to voluntarily vacate the retail space by December 9, 2025.
According to the Assembly, the directive is to restore order, ensure compliance with Ghana’s trade regulations, and maintain sanity in local markets.
It is also intended to prevent any forceful removal during an upcoming joint operation involving security agencies, the KMA, and the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).
The decision followed a closed-door meeting between KMA officials and GUTA leadership. In a statement, the Mayor of Kumasi, Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi, acknowledged GUTA’s concerns about foreign involvement in retail trading and reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to addressing the issue lawfully.
He also urged GUTA to suspend its ongoing exercise of locking up shops operated by foreign traders.
A multi-agency committee has been established to oversee the implementation of the directive, with representatives from the Ghana Immigration Service, Customs Division of the GRA, Ghana Police Service, KMA, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and GUTA. The committee will ensure a coordinated and lawful approach to the exercise.
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