The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has issued a directive to foreign nationals engaged in retail trading within the metropolis to voluntarily exit the retail space by December 9, 2025. This decision follows a closed-door meeting between the KMA management and the leadership of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).
In a press release dated December 3, 2025, the KMA stated that during the engagement with GUTA, the Mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi, acknowledged concerns raised by GUTA regarding foreign participation in the retail space. The Mayor reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to addressing these concerns within the confines of the law and urged GUTA to prioritize dialogue and collaboration in resolving the matter.
To ensure a coordinated and lawful approach, a committee has been constituted comprising representatives from the Ghana Immigration Service, Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Ghana Police Service, KMA, Ghana Investment Promotions Council, and GUTA. The directive to foreign nationals is intended to prevent any forceful ejection during a joint operation involving Security Agencies, KMA, and GUTA.
The KMA emphasized that this measure forms part of ongoing efforts to restore order, ensure compliance with Ghana’s trade regulations, and maintain sanity within the local markets. The Assembly counts on the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure peace and smooth implementation of this directive.
“The KMA hereby advises all foreign nationals engaged in retail trading within the metropolis to voluntarily exit the retail space by 9th December, 2025,” the press release stated.
This development highlights the KMA’s efforts to regulate retail trading activities in Kumasi, ensuring that they align with Ghana’s trade laws and regulations. The involvement of various stakeholders, including security agencies and GUTA, underscores the importance of a coordinated approach in implementing this directive.
The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has been directed by the KMA to suspend its current exercise of locking up shops belonging to foreigners involved in retail trade. The KMA’s directive aims to ensure a peaceful and orderly exit of foreign nationals from the retail space.
