A Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC) senior official Edward Ashong Lartey said foreigners were still running retail businesses in the country in violation of the law.

“So what can be done now is prosecution by a court of competent jurisdiction,” he said.

Chief justice Georgina Wood on Tuesday said they were tightening the screws on foreigners running retail businesses.

“We are studying the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act (Act 865) and will soon dedicate a court to prosecute non-Ghanaians found engaging in retail trade in our markets as well as

Ghanaians who may be violating the provisions of the law by conniving with such foreigners,” she said.

The Trade and Industry ministry has been asked to constitute a team of prosecutors who are expected to receive training from the judicial service to help collect evidence for prosecution.

Ghana’s investment laws require foreigners seeking to run retail business to provide initial capital of $1million in cash or goods.

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In July this year, members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association ordered the closure of all shops in protests against government’s failure to ensure compliance with the law.

Foreigners have taken over the retail business and are depriving Ghanaians of their livelihood in contravention of the law.

Trade minister, Ekwow Spio-Gabrah welcomed the move by the authorities to target foreigners violating the law.

Following various calls by the traders association, the Trade ministry set up a task force to check illegal foreign retail trading, reinforced by public education on the need for foreigners to desist from illegal practices.

Spio-Garbrah said the exercise would succeed if the judiciary was equally delivering effective justice by applying the rule of law to protect the interest of Ghanaians.