Accra, Ghana//-Ghana’s quest of preserving its retail market to its nationals is being thwarted by China, following the invasion of that market by Chinese supermarket giant, China Mall.
Within a space of almost a year, China Mall has opened more than seven large branches in Ghana, while plans are afoot to open more branches across other parts of the country.
The seven branches which are currently located in the Accra, Ashaiman and Tema metropolis are- Tema, Ashaiman, Spintex Road, Weija, Pokuase and Amasaman. The seventh branch is Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital of Ghana.
These China malls are normally located either directly opposite or near big supermarkets such as Game, Shoprite, Melcom and other well-established supermarkets which have been operating in the country for years.
African Eye Report visit to the main and first branch of the China Mall which is located at the back of West Hills Mall at Weija in Accra, saw large number of shoppers picking products ranging from electronics, food and dairy, clothes, foot-wears, kitchen utensils, among others were being patronised.
These products in the China malls are usually imported from China to be sold at cheap prices thereby attracting more markets here.
Some of the shoppers who spoke to African Eye Report confirmed that they normally patronised the China malls because of the cheap prices.
Michael Ameka, who drove about four hours to the China Mall’s West Hills main branch, said: “I drove approximately four hours to come and buy these few goods which can be found in other nearby shops, but they are very cheap here.”
While Kwame Mensah, another shopper at the same mall acknowledged that although the products were cheap, they don’t last sometimes.
“It is just to try your luck. Some are durable sometimes”, he added.
Commenting on the taking over of the retail market, Kwame Nyarko, an investment expert, said this development could lead to the dumping of cheap Chinese products into the country.
“We all know that there is a perception that Chinese products are very cheaper, and Ghanaians will turn to products which are cheap, especially in this current economic crisis”, he added.
He noted that as shoppers keep trooping to the China malls for their needs, it is affecting the operations of other supermarkets owned or managed by locals.
If this trend continues, it may lead to the collapse of these supermarkets which are major taxpayers to the Ghanaian government.
So, it is therefore proper for the government to act on this, according to him.
Although Mr Nyarko admitted that the China malls dotted around the Tema, Accra and Kumasi metropolis have provided jobs for Ghanaians, those could not be equated with what other supermarkets and other shops had created.
When African Eye Report reached out to Yofi Grant, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) to enquire whether the China Mall is registered as a joint venture or not, he said if it is not even a joint venture, but it has created opportunities for Ghanaians.
Officer of the GIPC, Yofi Grant
He used the opportunity to encourage Ghanaians home and abroad to invest in the productive sectors of the Ghanaian economy to create opportunities for the people and multiple their investments.
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report
Email: info@africaneyereport.com
