The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has cautioned members of the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association against taking the law into their own hands, warning that their actions could provoke international backlash.
The warning follows an incident on Monday, September 8, 2025, when executives of the Association attempted to enforce Section 27(1) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act, 2013 (Act 865). The section prohibits non-Ghanaians from engaging in petty trading, hawking, or operating in local markets. The dealers’ attempt to enforce the law themselves led to near confrontations with some foreign traders in the area.
Deputy CEO in charge of Operations at the EPA, Prof. Michael Ayamga-Adongo, emphasized that such enforcement is the sole responsibility of state institutions.
“It is the responsibility of law enforcement — the Ghana Immigration Service, in collaboration with other relevant agencies — to monitor and regulate these issues,” he said.
“When private groups attempt to enforce the law themselves, it becomes problematic.”
Prof. Adongo also raised concerns about potential diplomatic consequences, warning that such actions could endanger the welfare of Ghanaians living abroad.
“These actions could provoke retaliatory responses in other countries where Ghanaians live and work. Even if our citizens abroad are acting within the law, hearing that their nationals are being harassed in Ghana could trigger unnecessary reprisals.”
Despite the caution from national authorities, the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association has issued a three-day ultimatum to foreign traders operating in the area, instructing them to close their shops or face further action.
The development has sparked fresh debate on the role of private associations in matters of national law enforcement and the need for calm, coordinated approaches to sensitive investment and immigration issues.
