Traders at the Central Business District (CBD) in Accra are crying over skyrocketing shop rates. They blame the development on foreigners who are willing to pay whatever amount shop owners request.

Their activities in the retail sector have resulted in a high cost of rent for local businesses, forcing some of them to vacate their shops for expats to take over.

The Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA) has warned it will be forced to take the law into its hands if government does not address the issue.

The General Secretary of GUTA, Alfa Shaban told Starr Business’ Osei Owusu Amankwaah that the excuse that Ghanaians are fronting for expatriates and therefore little is being done to curb the menace is flimsy.

“People use excuses that people are fronting, if people are fronting, is there no law to deal with people who are fronting. So does it mean that unpatriotic citizens can support or aid foreigners to sabotage the economy. Things must change because we have gotten to our wits’ end”.

Meanwhile, the senior minister, Yaw Osafo Marfo has given indication that government will take a new approach to drive foreigners who are illegally operating in Ghana.

Listen to Starr News’ Osei Owusu Amankwaah’s report on the predicament.