Nigerians resident in Ghana were
shocked early this year, when the
Ghanaian government, through its
Public Relations Officer on National
Identification Authority (NIA), Mrs
Bertha Dzeble, announced that all
foreign nationals, including ECOWAS
member country citizens who have
lived in Ghana for a total of 90 days
or more in a given year are required
by law to register for the Non-citizen
Ghana card at the cost of $120
(N19,000).
The Act, which is enshrined under
the Foreigners Identification
Management System (FIMS), in
pursuance of Authority’s mandate
under the NIA Act, 2006 (Act 707),
the National Identity Register Act,
2008 (Act 750) and the National
Identity Regulations, 2012, made it
compulsory that the non-citizen
Ghana card is the mandatory form of
identification to be used in all
transactions which includes applying
for or renewing residence permits,
opening or running a bank account
etc.
However, this development has not,
over the months, gone down well with
majority of the citizens of ECOWAS
member states resident in Ghana,
and those proposing to visit Ghana
for tourism or business transactions.
Some of the people that the Nigerian
Tribune spoke with argued that even
though Ghana is a sovereign country,
which gave the legislators the right
to make such laws, it has further
showed the lip service being paid to
complying with the aims and
objectives of ECOWAS, by asking the
ECOWAS member country citizens to
pay the same amount that non-
African citizens are paying for the
foreigners identification card.
Another category of citizens from
ECOWAS member countries, who made
their opinion known, stated that the
development, depicts Ghana as an
economically challenged country,
trying to raise money from every nook
and cranny, without any concern
about what backlash this could cause
to her own citizens in other ECOWAS
countries that their citizens find
themselves, as diplomacy recognises
reciprocity of treatment.
According to information made
available on the Ghana NIA website,
the Foreigners Identification Card is
the only form of identification of
persons recognised by the Ghanaian
government for any official
transaction, against what used to be
the norm, ECOWAS passports was the
only document to be used by the
ECOWAS charter which serves several
purposes, part of which was the
identification and pass to other
ECOWAS member States.
Investigation into the reaction of the
Nigerian High Commissioner to
Ghana, Ambassador Ademola Oluseyi
Onafowokan, to the development was
quite revealing. He said “I know
Nigerians here usually pay for
Resident Permit, which I expect
would have been the end of it. But
suddenly, the Ghanaian government
is now introducing what they call
Foreigners Identification Card, done
by the National Registration Agency
that non-Ghanaians, and it does not
exclude those who have Resident
Permit, will pay US120 dollars for
such registration.”
When asked if Ghanaians in Nigeria
were being asked to pay same for FIC,
he rued: “I know that Ghanaians in
Nigeria don’t pay such. So I met with
the Foreign Minister, Hannah Tetteh
and she explained to me that it was
not her ministry, but that she would
get back to me officially.
“But that notwithstanding, on the
30th of August, I wrote a dispatch to
the Nigerian Foreign Minister
explaining that this was not levied
Ghanaians in Nigeria. So to balance
the equation, Ghanaians in Nigeria
should be made to pay that fee; that
is where we left it. I don’t see why
we should be paying and they should
not pay. So that’s what I have
discussed with my colleagues and
that’s what we have circulated and
also discussed within the ambience of
our foreign policy.
“We are waiting for the reply to the
dispatch to our Foreign Minister. I
am expecting the Nigerian
government at that level back home
in Nigeria to make a pronouncement
on that. Since Nigerians are going to
be paying that US$120, Ghanaians in
Nigeria should pay the same”, the
Ambassador said.
Nigerian Tribune also engaged some
Nigerians resident in Ghana, to know
whether Ghana was being fair to
ECOWAS member countries, and if the
Federal Government of Nigeria should
replicate same policy.
Oludare Ogunlana, President, Global
Alternative Agenda said, “First, we
have to understand the fact that the
Ghanaian authority has the right to
enforce any policy that would advance
the development of its country. So,
the issue of foreigners’ identification
card may be one of those policies,
targeting all the foreigners and not
only Nigerians resident in Ghana.
Therefore, I will not want our people
to see the issue as if the policy is
meant to punish or extort Nigerians
living in Ghana. The population of
Indians living in Ghana is more than
that of Nigerians; they pay more
money for resident permit than other
ECOWAS nationals.
“My own take would have been that
the Ghanaian government should
have reduced the price for the
ECOWAS citizens living in Ghana. For
instance, you have to pay for the
resident/work permit and also pay for
this mandatory FIC. I think the
Ghanaian government should look
into this.
“I don’t think it is appropriate for
the Nigerian government to engage
the Ghanaian government on this
issue of FIC because it is not a policy
that targets only Nigerians but all
foreigners living in Ghana. This is not
about Nigerians alone. However, the
Nigerian High Commission in Ghana
should make a case for the Nigerian
students studying here in Ghana. I
think we have the highest number of
students here in Ghana and this FIC
creates additional financial burden
for them.
“Meanwhile, the Nigerian government
also has the right to replicate the
policy but not necessarily on the
same issue. For instance, on visa
procurement, Nigerian government
charges approximately what the US
government will charge a Nigerian for
American visa.
“Also, when the British government
came with the idea of £3,000 bound
for the first time visitor to the UK;
the Nigerian government took it upon
herself to engage the UK government
on the issue and today, the policy
has been cancelled. They took this
initiative because the policy was
directed to only Nigerians and not
the entire foreigners willing to visit
the UK. I hope you will be able to
spot the difference.
Cookie Iwuoha, publisher of Nigerian
Eye in Ghana commented that “The
FIC is not really a bad initiative, after
all, Ghanaians have the national
identification card and I am not sure
all Ghanaians have one. On the other
hand, I see it as uncalled for, truly
uncalled for and discriminatory. I
think it should only be mandatory for
individuals that do not have their
international passports because my
passport identifies me as a foreigner
and besides, there is a resident
permit issued by Ghanaian
authorities to anyone who wishes to
reside in Ghana and work permit.
As regards reciprocating the ‘gesture’,
he said, “I don’t see the need for
Nigerian government to impose such
an ordeal on Ghanaians in Nigeria,
but from the way it is being forced
on Nigerians here, if our government
back home commences theirs at this
moment, it can trigger tension
between the two nations, but on the
other hand, I think Nigerian
government should think of other
means of handling the same issue in
Nigeria”.
Mrs Cartherine Emmanuel
Onwioduokit, the convener of Family
Renaissance International, in her
submission, said that, “every nation
belongs to the committee of nations
and there are certain foreign policy
frameworks that govern the bilateral
relationships of nations within each
block. When talking about Ghana and
Nigeria, both countries are ECOWAS
countries; and there are also policies
and privileges that both are expected
to enjoy. So, a foreigner in Ghana
must first be ascertained by the block
he/she belongs to, and the foreign,
bilateral and diplomatic ties that
exist between them. This would then
determine what applies to each.”
She stated further that “If the nation
of Ghana has come up with a certain
amount of money, say $120 in this
instance that all foreigners are to pay
for the FIC, then there has to be a
referral to the status of ECOWAS
citizens and what applies to their
taking residence in fellow ECOWAS
states.”
Citing examples from European Union
member states: “When they come up
with foreign policies, I believe that
some of those policies do not apply to
the members of the states or union
as the case may be.
“Politically, and for the sake of our
bilateral relations, I strongly believe
that different policy framework that
guides each member of the different
member states should be adhered to
strictly. So I would suggest that both
governments and those of other
member states should revisit
whatever document carries the rights
and privileges of citizens of member
states and use that as the modus
operandi in the interest of the West
African sub region.
“Agreed, there are issues that arise
from the coalition, but that can be
addressed through proper and
consistent public awareness and
adherence to the law

covering the
operation of all the citizenry within
the states.
“I would therefore suggest that the
diplomatic bodies go back and abide
by whatever the ECOWAS member
state policies advocates. In a
situation where there is nothing to
that effect, then this becomes the
wakeup call that arrests the attention
of the different states in the sub-
region to come together and agree on
policies that will make for the
peaceful co-existence that has existed
between Ghana, Nigeria and other
members of the ECOWAS sub region
living here in Ghanaian,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ghana government has
refuted the allegations that the
exercise is meant to discriminate
against foreigners, saying the exercise
meant to enable the government to
create a database is of all individuals
in the country in order to ensure
good planning, good governance, e-
government services and the security
and the integrity of the country.
However, diplomats, and dual citizens
are not required to register for the
FIC, including refugees who hold a
valid UNHCR card, while Ghanaians
who are married to Ghanaians who
have not either registered or
naturalised to become a citizen of
Ghana, must also register for the
Non-citizen Ghanaian card.

mekaboy: who doesnt know that Ghana is very broke at moment. Seems like they used their last card to conduct their last election.

After that election their govt eye dey red, increased fuel price 3 times, increase electricity and water

Introduced the foriegn id card, when they have resident permit and foriegners info in the immigration database.

It remains for the govt to beg money on the street.

After they have sold thier oil and gold and the land to foriegn investors and shared the money.

mekaboy: who doesnt know that Ghana is very broke at moment. Seems like they used their last card to conduct their last election.

After that election their govt eye dey red, increased fuel price 3 times, increase electricity and water

Introduced the foriegn id card, when they have resident permit and foriegners info in the immigration database.

It remains for the govt to beg money on the street.

After they have sold thier oil and gold and the land to foriegn investors and shared the money.

Chartey:
This is funny but true.
Concerning the card thing, it could have just been at a discount for ECOWAS citizens since they insisted it was for a database.

PetroDolla2: what is this Igbo dog saying? and you claim you live in Ghana? whack a con! yes, the Ghanaian government is currently grappling with a budget deficit of about 10% to 12% at the moment, and this is because of the huge public sector wage bill. workers in the public sector got massive pay increases- some by as much as 600% in the past few years. it has nothing to do with elections, dog. get your fact correct before you open that your ugly smelly mouth,huh?

Ghana is a sovereign nation and has the right to do whatever it deems appropriate for its interests. if a Nigerian resident find any of the policies and actions of the Ghanaian govt unacceptable, he or she is free to leave the country,huh? it is very simple. what is there to argue about? Ghanaians don't dictate what you people do in your country. or do they?

and for your emekaboy or whatever you call yourself, what are still doing in Ghana if you think the country is broke and has little prospects? damburuba shege!

mekaboy:

Poverty aliviation program. I am not based in Ghana but well informed of the activities of your country that u dont know nothing about.

mekaboy: who doesnt know that Ghana is very broke at moment. Seems like they used their last card to conduct their last election.

After that election their govt eye dey red, increased fuel price 3 times, increase electricity and water

Introduced the foriegn id card, when they have resident permit and foriegners info in the immigration database.

It remains for the govt to beg money on the street.

After they have sold thier oil and gold and the land to foriegn investors and shared the money.

PetroDolla2: there is nothing funny or true about what that modafaka wrote. The fiscal deficit issue confronting the Ghanaian economy was not caused by an election overspend. it was caused by the huge public sector bill. secondly, whether to reduce the fee for ecowas citizens or not is the sole prerogative of the Ghanaian govt and in this case, it chose not to grant that discount. so what is your problem?

Chartey:
This is funny but true.
Concerning the card thing, it could have just been at a discount for ECOWAS citizens since they insisted it was for a database.

PetroDolla2: LOL what do you know,mor0n? and if I tell you what I know about your country nko?

you need to focus more on your own country because Ghana is doing just fine. if I were you, I would be more worried about nigeria,huh?

Nigeria is broke; Jonathan running country aground, says Baraje-led PDP

The crisis in Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, worsened to what appears a point of no return on Thursday when a faction of the party accused the Jonathan administration of running Nigeria’s economy “aground.”
The Baraje-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, condemned the rape of the country’s economy by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

The faction is backed by seven serving governors (Sokoto, Kano, Niger, Kwara, Rivers, Adamawa, and Jigawa), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and some other leaders of the party. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, is also believed to be a closet member of the faction.

The spokesperson of the Baraje-led PDP, Chukwuekeka Eze, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja quoted Abubakar Baraje, the chairman of the faction, as saying that despite claims to the contrary by the Administration in a futile bid to deceive Nigerians, the overwhelming evidence was that the Nigerian economy had been run aground by the present administration and was now comatose.

He said with the massive scale of officially-induced oil theft, the dwindling returns from oil and massive looting going on at the federal level, Nigeria was surely on the brink of economic collapse.

One manifestation of this, he added, was the Federal Government’s inability to pay states their share of federal revenues since July.

“The last time that states were paid was for part of July. The arrears continue to mount by the day. As at today, the states are being owed N336 billion, with the N75 billion being the balance of the July 2013 arrears, N121 billion from June augmentation and over N90 billion as July augmentation,” he said.

According to Mr. Baraje, the implication of this unfortunate development is that the 36 states have become impoverished and unable to meet up with basic obligations, including the payment of workers’ monthly salaries, which many of the states have been unable to do due to lack of funds.

Most states have also as a result been unable to meet their obligation to contractors. This dangerous scenario is complemented by the growing rate of unemployment, which presently hovers around 80 per cent, the politician said.

“If states cannot pay their contractors – not to talk of entering into new contracts – if states cannot pay their workers because there is no money to pay them, what could result is a huge social catastrophe that will add to the social, economic and political inferno already ravaging Nigeria today,” he added.

He also said all these portended very grave danger for the country as youth and labour restiveness appeared imminent.

“Nigerians should expect further worsening of the unemployment situation and the loss of jobs, which is inevitable should the Federal Government continue with the present shoddy management of the economy which leaves much room for abuse.

“Ironically, while the masses suffer, Government officials continue to feed fat, using various guises to fritter away our common patrimony. They continue to enjoy a life of opulence, which has blinded them to the realities of the monumental suffering to which the masses are being subjected on a daily basis,” Mr. Baraje said.

Where has all the money gone?

Mr. Baraje also accused the government of being a spendthrift, querying the whereabouts of billions of Naira earned by the administration. He said the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had revealed that the country earned a total of N1.05 trillion in July, and questioned why the finance ministry could not pay states their due statutory allocations.

“Where are the billions of dollars accruable from daily crude oil sales? Where are the billions of naira accruable from multiple taxation which is strangulating struggling businesses on a daily basis? And where are the billions of dollars which the Jonathan Administration claims to be saving from one so-called cost-saving measure or the other?” he asked.

He said Nigerians could no longer be deceived.

“The truth is that Nigeria is broke and it shows that worse days are ahead under this inept administration,” he said.

The Baraje-led PDP also said it was unacceptable for Nigerians to be subjected to high level of suffering when their country is one of the world’s leading oil producers.

He said the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF under the leadership of Governor Rotimi Amaechi that “includes the progressive G7 Governors of the authentic PDP” recently raised the alarm, calling on the finance minister to resign in view of her shoddy running of the economy.

The finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, has said there was no cause for worry about the economy; a claim the factional PDP disputed.

“Since nobody has a monopoly of wisdom, we wish to advise President Jonathan to humbly consider the NGF Report on the nation’s economy and see what he can borrow from it to take the country’s economy out of the woods,” the factional chairman said.

Mr. Baraje called on Mr. Jonathan to act fast to rescue the country as there was a limit to which Nigerians could be pushed.

“Anything short of this is an invitation to anarchy. A word is enough for the wise,” he said.

Final battle

Thursday’s statement by the Baraje-led PDP appears an indication that the crisis in the party would not be resolved.

Several meetings by leaders of the two factions of the party, as well as interventions by elders of the party, have yielded no result. This new attack on the Jonathan-led PDP administration may also confirm the believe of some Nigerians that the Baraje-led PDP was set to leave the party for an existing political platform or form its own.

mekaboy:

Poverty aliviation program. I am not based in Ghana but well informed of the activities of your country that u dont know nothing about.

Obrafour: Yeah! I guess the only time you see a working ceiling fan is when you are watching a Ghanaian movie huh?

mekaboy:

The hungry govt says the information is required for a database. I say it is senseless. it is like the govt waking up and saying the want to have an id card for all vehicle owners in ghana and ask people to pay $100 for the card.

they will say as usual that it is to enable them know people who own cars in ghana and create a database for it.

In data management, there is something called data redundancy which should be avoided at all cost. it means storing of same data multiple times in the same database.

when a foriegner who has a valid passport enters ghana, their passport details is stored in the immigration database. for those who go for resident permit or work permit, their details are stored in the database.

from the immigration database, you should be able to tell the number of foriegners in the country. you should be able to identify them with their passports .

so whats the essence of the card when their info is aleady stored in the database? Are they going to store the persons info again in the db after they stored it during the request for residence permit.


The govt should come out publicly and do a fund raiser, let pple donate willingly instead of engaging in shameless and hungry policies.

mekaboy:

Lol u see why there is more need for poverty aliviation. Do people still use fan I the world today? we use split unit and mobile AC here so if fan is what u use in ur movies and your proud of it. U need help.

Obrafour:


"The government should come out pubicly" my arsse! The essence of the card is to bring to the bearest minimun the influx of nigerian fraudsters who are making Ghana their home base. Heck! This is an indirect statement of leting you people know that you are not welcome in Ghana.

Obrafour:


"The government should come out pubicly" my arsse! The essence of the card is to bring to the bearest minimun the influx of nigerian fraudsters who are making Ghana their home base.

Obrafour: Yeah! Just like you hear the sound of a generator in any nollywood movie.

mekaboy:

sounds more like begging for money from Nigerians indirectly. so ur saying as long as the fraudster pays $120 for the card he can stay in ghana and defraud people all he wants.

It is this hungry mentality that made u sell the gold and oil in your land to foriegners. collected peanuts and ate , now your hungry again. You will sell your generations for peanuts one day. U see how u sold the gold and thr land to chinese today they are killing you pple like chicken in Ghana.

Why dont mahama come and beg jonathan for money like kufor did during the time of obasanjo?

All ghananians can testify that things were far better during the time of kufor because obasanjo always bailed him out financially .

mekaboy:

from fan to generator now. even you dissing sounds hungry.

Obrafour:


"The government should come out pubicly" my arsse! The essence of the card is to bring to the bearest minimun the influx of nigerian fraudsters who are making Ghana their home base.

one mopol:


Guy, i do not want this to become another Ghana VS Nigeria thread. This decision is being questioned by all expatriates here in accra even my Ghana colleagues cant find any sound reasoning behind this . There is simply no ground for this after one already has a residence/work permit

mekaboy:
who doesnt know that Ghana is very
broke at moment. Seems like they used
their last card to conduct their last
election.

Obrafour: Yeah, I concede it might have been an oversight from an overzealous institution, I questioned the policy myself after reading the story. But it was your compatriot who threw the first punch....

one mopol:


Guy, i do not want this to become another Ghana VS Nigeria thread. This decision is being questioned by all expatriates here in accra even my Ghana colleagues cant find any sound reasoning behind this . There is simply no ground for this after one already has a residence/work permit

mekaboy:

Its obvious the govt is hungry, there is no justifying reason for it.

As for this hungry ungrateful ones making noise on the internet, they just want to have the previledge of chatting with Nigerians. You know how a shy guy who likes are girl will be looking for her trouble just to get attention.

90% of ghananians are hungry, the remaining 10% who are comfortable owe their gratitude to Nigeria.

whether your have a job in the bank all thanks to Nigerian banks, our working in telecoms thank God for Glo. Your a lecturer in the uni, thank God for Nigerian students .

If you are in the movie industry thank God for nollywood. I wonder where their jackie appiah, Yvonne nelso, and whats the fair one jim iyke is enjoying now, would have been if not for nollywood.

Well their ladies are greatful, its the hungry and jealous guys that are online fighting.

Ask eyvon nelson wetin she see for inyanya wey she no see go ghana guys. ask jackie appia why she will end her marriage for a naija guy. ask the one witb jim iyke wetin she no see fo ghana.

well its because most ghana guys are either too busy working for Nigerian firms in ghana or the joblesss ones are online hatting while their ladies are busy showing appreciation to Us.

Oscar8000: Good evening VO, few
questions sorry if its already been answered in part, but 57 pages is an awful lot to sift through. My wife is
an American, I am Nigerian. We've been living together for the majority of the last 4 years in Ghana. Nigeria is not too safe for her, a few bad experiences... so we agreed Ghana is much better, she's happier there.
We started staying together in
2009, in 2012 we got married and she filed the I-130 a few months ago.

mekaboy:

Poverty aliviation program. I am not based in Ghana but well informed of the activities of your country that u dont know nothing about.

Obrafour: Its very funny when you ignore the mess in your sh1t hole and pretend to have the solution in your neighbours house. If the kitchen is too hot for you, grab your "ghana must go" and ship out!

one mopol:


Guy, i do not want this to become another Ghana VS Nigeria thread. This decision is being questioned by all expatriates here in accra even my Ghana colleagues cant find any sound reasoning behind this . There is simply no ground for this after one already has a residence/work permit

chriskwaku:

He is a half ghanaian based in nigeria and one of the cool dudes here