Tension in Suame as Ghanaians, Nigerian retailers 'clash'

Tension in Suame as Ghanaians, Nigerian retailers 'clash'

- Some retailers in Kumasi have allegedly clash with Nigerians at the Suame Magazine

- The local retailers have vowed to evict foreign retailers from Suame Magazine in Kumasi

There is brewing tension at Suame Magazine in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region as local retailers have vowed to evict foreigners who operate within the enclave.

According to Citinewsroom.com report, the leaders of the Nigerian retailers at the Suame Magazine say their members are living in fear following what they call incessant attacks on them.

The Nigerians have accused the local retailers and the Ghana Union Traders Association (GUTA), of targeting its members and forcefully evicting them from their shops.

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The development comes days after the Ministry of Trade and Industry, suspended plans to evict foreigners engaged in the retail trade to allow for sensitization and education in the domestic retail trade sector.

However, an executive member of the Nigerian retailers Association, Victor Moname, in media interview threatened reprisal attacks if local Ghanaian retailers continue to harass their members.

Victor Moname said the Ashanti Regional Police Commander recently deployed some of his personnel to the area to forestall such occurrences but the attacks persist.

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“The [Ashanti] Regional [Police] Commander told us that the Nigeria High Commission had called him over the same issue. He said he had sent a police patrol team to Suame Magazine, Kumasi. But when some of our people open their shops, some boys jumped on them again including some of the GUTA executives,” he said.

The Nigerian added that, “Some of their items got broken because when the boys come and ask you to close your shop, and you refuse, they destroy your things. So that was the reason why when they came to tell us to close the shops, we obliged because they are many. They are up to 50, and you can’t identify all of them. They don’t even have shops in Magazine.”

Victor Moname noted that all Nigerian retailers at Suame Magazine have currently closed their shops due to the fear of being attacked.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

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