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The deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Michael Teye Nyaunu says the Ministry of Trade and Industry will allow illegal retailers who hail from the ECOWAS countries continue operations for some time. According to him, after several talks by a committee from the ECOWAS Parliament and the sector Minister, Hannah Tetteh on Tuesday, indications are that the directive will be relaxed for members from ECOWAS states but shops belonging to other foreign retailers will be locked. An inter-agency taskforce set up by the Ministry of Trade on Tuesday locked up several shops belonging to foreign retailers. Most of the shops locked belonged to Chinese and other nationals. According to the Trade Ministry, the illegal retailers are in violation of Ghana�s policy which requires them to have an initial capital of $300,000. The exercise is expected to continue today to other parts of the capital. Some Nigerian businessmen in Ghana say the directive is only targeted at their nationals in the country. The Trade Ministry has however dismissed the allegation by the Nigerians who have gone ahead to blow the issue out of proportion in their local media creating the impression that the Government of Ghana is chasing its businessmen away. However, speaking on Joy FM on Wednesday, Hon. Teye Nyaunu who is also the Member of Parliament for the Lower Manya constituency denied that the directive is targeted at Nigerians and called on them to avoid twisting the issue to create unnecessary tensions. The Trade Minister has also stated that it has no intentions of halting the directive to flush out illegal retailers but will give members from ECOWAS states ample time to comply with the laws.