Ghana’s hostility to Nigerian business


Editorial May 19, 2010 ON Monday, May 10, 2010, the Africa Independent Television (AIT) ran a feature on how a hostile policy put in place by the government of the Republic of Ghana has led to the closure of Nigerian businesses in that country.
Shops were seen placed under lock and key, while their owners were sitting, idly, outside hoping against hope that something would happen to change the minds of their host government. But from all indications, nothing like that is likely to happen.


As soon as he received the mandate of his people, President John Atta-Mills prodded the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Protection Council (GIPC), Mr George Aboagye, to swing into action and strictly implement the GIPC Act of 1994, which demands that any foreign business based in Ghana must pay $300,000 or 48 million Naira into the coffers of the GIPC before it is allowed to open shop or continue to operate.


Way back in 2007, Nigerian businesses in Ghana were closed down as a result of this law. There are indications that the Act is being upgraded to ensure that only foreign businesses that have not less than one million US$ will be allowed to operate in Ghana. Ghana has decided to press ahead with this rather atrocious regulation in spite of the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Trade and efforts by the West African regional body to move its member states towards economic unification.

Ghana decided to impose this protectionist measure in line with popular agitations among indigenous business owners, who feel that the influx of people from highly populous countries of the world, such as Nigeria, China and India are crowding them out of competition. A recent forum Aboagye had with Ghanaian business owners in Kumasi focused on ways of protecting the local entrepreneurs from their foreign counterparts and keeping the foreigners under strict control.


From their online responses, it is clear that Ghanaians are hugely in support of the measure. They have obviously not forgotten how they were shabbily treated when they flocked to Nigeria when the Ghanaian economy collapsed in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. In the name of getting rid of “illegal aliens”, Ghanaians were bundled into lorries and shipped across the borders by the Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s government in 1981.


Bags made from a tough polyethylene fabric were derisively named: Ghana-Must-Go, a term that rankles with Ghanaians who retort: Nigeria-Must-Die.

It is clear that relations between the two former sister countries have changed for the worse. In those days, Ghana was like an offshore territory of Nigeria, and people from both countries freely came, settled and went. Those Nigerian traders who are now marooned in Ghana went there in that old spirit of regarding Ghana as a friendly nation of Nigeria across the West Coast.

From the way Ghanaians are booing Nigerians in their country, it will not surprise anyone if, like in South Africa, we begin to see gangs of organised youths perpetrating violence against foreigners, especially Nigerians.

We must allow incidents like these to teach us a thing or two about the need to repair our own country and encourage our fleeing people to come back and join the effort to rebuild Nigeria. We should also come to terms with the fact that every country is defying globalisation and taking steps to protect their own citizens.

Nigeria is still a country where foreigners, such as Chinese, Indians, Lebanese, people of the Sahara and Sahelian region and even Ghanaians freely come and settle and carry on their economic activities without much regulation. In fact, in some parts of the country, Lebanese and other Arabs are far more welcome and are more at home than Nigerians from other parts of Nigeria.


Nigerians are hunted both in their country and abroad, and the Nigerian government is not concerned in the least. This is no longer acceptable. The presidency and the National Assembly must wake up and act to protect the interests and well being of Nigerians and encourage our people to stay in Nigeria and actualise the Nigerian dream.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/05/19/ghana%e2%80%99s-hostility-to-nigerian-business/

They too must protect their economy as Nigeria protects its own.

By the way, they are not hostile to only Nigerians, they are strict about all foreign owned businesses. Thats the way it should be.

damn why do these Nigerians like crying?

Na only US ? NO

sjeezy8:

damn why do these Nigerians like crying?

Na only US ? NO

Choco5:

They too must protect their economy as Nigeria protects its own.
[b]By the way, they are not hostile to only Nigerians, they are strict about all foreign owned businesse[/b]s. Thats the way it should be.

It seems you guys did not read the article well, or probably do not understand the terms and agreement made under ECOWAS which Ghana was signatory to. This is nothing but a typical African man ways of oppression when they think they are better than the others(now we are not of the same level). Every where in the world their trade laws is always exceptional to the regional member states, mostly when there is a regional Umbrella that shelters every member state, which EU is a good example of it. You Guys will not tell me that the same laws which guides an American in registering a business in Germany is same with that of a french man.

No one is against Ghana tightening her trade laws, but those laws i think should have an exceptional cases to the ECOWAS member states. If Nigerians are being ruled in with other foreign countries in such same trade laws then there is need for Ecowas to terminate Ghana membership, only by then we would not complain. As British refused joining EU becoz they believe they are superior Some EU countries, no body complains. But You cannot be under the shelter of tht Umbrella when it suits you and remove the Umbrella from sheltering others when it suits you.

Ghana can not be enjoying free visa to Ecowas Nations and other benefits from ECOWAS, but will not grant Nigeria free trade in their country, which is one of the Ecowas agreement they are signatory to. By the time they start applying visas to Ivory coast, Togo, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria, and all their neighbours jst like other foreign countries they will understand that no man is an island.

Waow, a whooping 48 million before you rent a shop.those ghanaians must be outta their damn mind

don't blame the ghanians,let's fix our goddamn country first

All we need is reciprocal policy, no need raising dust.

By the way this is a law that has been in place since 1994.

The day our own government focuses on protecting Nigeria and Nigerians things will get better. Until then, it's the same old song.

To be Honest, apart from the ECOWAS membership of Ghana, I don't see anything wrong in a Country Protecting her citizens and their interests.

Also, it is important that No law has supremacy over the laws of a country. That is why Ghanaian government have an obligation to protect their own by, implementing the part of the ECOWAS treaty that favours their citizens.

By the way, Has Nigerian government taken any step to challenge the government of Ghana or ECOWAS on this ?

deor03:

To be Honest, apart from the ECOWAS membership of Ghana, I don't see anything wrong in a Country Protecting her citizens and their interests.
Also, it is important that No law has supremacy over the laws of a country. That is why Ghanaian government have an obligation to protect their own by, implementing the part of the ECOWAS treaty that favours their citizens.

By the way, Has Nigerian government taken any step to challenge the government of Ghana or ECOWAS on this ?

Why would they do anything abt it, as long as it does not affect the oil money pumping in their pocket.
Meanwhile this is not jst about protecting the citizen coz there is nothing wrong abt government creating a fair market environment for different level of business. Just in the street of Lagos Ghanaians owns small scale shops. How would it sound to you that a Ghanaian shoe mender, bag sellers, etc in Lagos or any other part of Nigeria must need to pay $300K before he can start operation? This is jst madness from Ghanaian government.

deor03:


By the way, Has Nigerian government taken any step to challenge the government of Ghana or ECOWAS on this ?

very good question.

~Bluetooth:

Waow, a whooping 48 million before you rent a shop.those ghanaians must be outta their damn mind

please lets not quote out of context for i believe this law will not be applicable to a petty trader.

kshow1:

very good question.

please lets not quote out of context for i believe this law will not be applicable to a petty trader.

and did you read the first post before quoting me.go back and read it before posting.

kshow1:

please lets not quote out of context for i believe this law will not be applicable to a petty trader.

Please what business do you think Nigerians have there in Ghana, if not road side spare parts shops, bags, shoes, restuarants etc or you think they have gaint companies? Even in anywhere in the world you dont need that amount(300k) to open such shops as the Nigerian shops they closed. I see this as motive from Ghana governement target against Nigerians, whom they cannot directly ask to leave Ghana.

Hash, but the Nigerian Government must do more. Ghana can get away with this cos the Nigerian Government as usual would do nothing. It would be difficult for the UK to suddenly wake up and enforce and law that pernalises members of then EU, they just cant.

This is not hostility but conservatism, which every nation has right to. Ghana, a nation of almost 24 millions, has the rights to control its benefits by all means in favour of her citizens before the number explodes and go beyond control like Nigeria. This law is Ghanaian internal affairs that no one should interfere into. The law does not approach or single out a nation specifically. It is her internal trade law for the whole international communities reside on the Old Gold Coast terrain.

    If the law violates ECOWAS law, that's the duty of ECOWAS' governing body. Also, I think there's a body there in Ghana representing Nigeria, if the law affects Nigerians most. It is the duty of the body to verify the case and make a report to the Nigeria FG if truly they represent Nigeria and work for their earnings - but this may be none of their business, especially, once they have their own ways through, and nobody asks them at the end of the year the essence of their plenipotentiary in their host countries.

    On the other hand, the matrix games in international economic relations permits every nation-states to accrue interests to the best of her (Citizens) favour. Also, the international law regards every nation's sovereignty and full control of its own territory - this tacitly seconds Tit-for-Tat relationship when there's a call for it. Only one (state) need not be somnolent or slumbered on its own side.

    We have nation in Africa whose trade law states that every company established on its terrain must include at least 2 executives of her indigenes among the 5 topmost of the company's executives.

    We have nation in Africa that labels its border with an epitaph says, "You (foreigners) are guilty of whatever squabbles between you and any indigenes."

    It is in Nigeria where we see a foreign company thrashing Nigerians and enslave them on their fatherland. It is in Nigeria where a foreigner connives with a Nigerian to extort another Nigerian on meagre selfish interest. It is in Nigeria where the Govt. is never concerned with how the foreign companies treat her citizens or see to their welfares in the foreign companies etc.

   Lastly, if there's a specific treaty that binds Nigeria and Ghana on trade alliances, the treaty can be activated to check on the Ghanaian trade laws' severity.