The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) has promised Ghanaians that while the country remains committed to attracting foreign investments, sectors legally reserved for citizens will be protected without compromise.
Speaking on Ghanakoma morning show on Akoma 87.9 FM in Kumasi with Sir John, on Thursday, December 11,2025, Deputy Director of GIPC, Kumasi office, Michael Otchere, stressed that Section 27(1) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act, 2013 (Act 865) clearly barred foreigners from engaging in petty trading and other businesses strictly preserved for Ghanaians.
His assurance follows an ultimatum issued by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to foreign traders to cease retail operations and restrict themselves to wholesale supply only.
Mr Otchere, explained that the GIPC Act did not only prohibit foreigners from petty trading, but also from engaging in services such as selling in markets and shops, operating sachet water businesses, retailing pharmaceutical products, printing basic stationery, running taxi services with fewer than 20 to 25 vehicles, and managing all forms of lotteries except football betting.
He admitted that institutional bottlenecks, particularly the phenomenon of “fronting”, remained a major setback.
The practice, he explained, involved Ghanaians renting out their shops or stalls in their names and passing them on to foreigners to enable them to trade in restricted sectors.
“The biggest bottleneck has been fronting. It has made it very difficult to deal with the issue. Our intention is to increase a lot more education in and around that. We believe that the more we know about the issues, the easier it is for us to build a strong wall against it and to get people to really reform,” he said.
He pointed out that while the GIPC played a central role in compliance monitoring and education, enforcement primarily laid with district assemblies, their security committees and other state agencies such as the Immigration Service and the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry.
By Benjamin Aidoo
