The President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association has sharply criticised both sides of Parliament, accusing lawmakers of creating an environment that allows foreign enterprises to overshadow local businesses.

Addressing members of the Minority Caucus, GUTA President Clement Boateng argued that successive political leaders have failed to safeguard key sectors of the economy from external dominance. He pointed specifically to the growing presence of foreign investors especially from China in areas traditionally reserved for Ghanaians, including retail trade, construction, mining, finance, telecommunications, and small-scale commerce.

According to him, the increasing control of these sectors by foreign players has pushed many indigenous entrepreneurs to the margins. He further noted that in the mining industry, the situation has had serious environmental consequences, particularly the contamination of vital water resources.

Mr. Boateng also took issue with what he described as weak enforcement of existing regulatory frameworks, singling out the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act, which provides protections for local participation in certain sectors but is often overlooked in practice.

He cautioned that many politicians, who are themselves engaged in business, risk facing the very challenges they are failing to address once they exit public office and return fully to the private sector.