In Ghana, more than 200 shops at the Abossey Okai spare parts market have been shut down by a task force of the Spare Parts Dealers Association. Most of the affected shops reportedly belong to Nigerian traders.

The Association’s Director of Communications, Takyi Addo, explained that the closures were due to violations of Ghana’s retail laws, which reserve petty trading and retail activities exclusively for citizens.

The Nigerian Traders Association has raised concerns about the action, cautioning that it could negatively affect trade relations between the two countries. They are calling for dialogue and restraint in enforcing the law.

The incident has reignited debate over the regulation of retail trade in Ghana and the long-standing tensions between local and foreign traders.