- All foreign nationals in Kumasi retail must vacate by December 9, 2025
- Directive aims to enforce Ghana’s trade regulations and restore market order
- Follows closed-door talks between KMA and GUTA leadership
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has ordered all foreign nationals involved in retail trading within the metropolis to voluntarily vacate their retail spaces by December 9, 2025.
The Assembly said the directive aims to restore order, enforce Ghana’s trade regulations, and maintain proper operations in local markets. It is also intended to avoid any forced removals during a forthcoming joint operation involving security agencies, the KMA, and the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).
The move follows a closed-door meeting between KMA officials and GUTA leadership. In a statement, Mayor Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi acknowledged GUTA’s concerns over foreign participation in retail trade and reiterated the Assembly’s commitment to addressing the matter within the law.
He further appealed to GUTA to pause its ongoing campaign of locking shops operated by foreign traders.
A multi-agency committee has been established to oversee the directive’s implementation. The panel includes representatives from the Ghana Immigration Service, Customs Division of the GRA, Ghana Police Service, KMA, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and GUTA, ensuring a coordinated and lawful execution of the exercise.
