Ten months after a series of high-level bilateral talks between the Nigerian government and authorities in Ghana aimed at addressing the nearly decade-long controversy that led to the closure of Nigerian traders’ shops in Ghana, the issues have taken a turn for the worse, Akelicious investigation reveals.

Dozens of Nigerians have lost their sources of livelihood because of the blockade even as they called on the federal government to deploy other options to resolve the impasse.
It was gathered that between September 20 and 24, members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) had locked up additional shops belonging to Nigerians as part of a purported protest against foreigners who operate retail shops in their country.

During the recent onslaught, retail traders located at New Juaben South Municipality were the target.

The attackers said relevant laws of Ghana do not allow foreigners to engage in the retail market.

Dozens of shops have been locked this time in addition to the over 250 shops belonging to Nigerians locked in December 2019, July 2020 and December 2020.

Many of the affected traders said they were stranded and had to beg to feed. They were however reluctant to come back home despite a window created by the federal government to facilitate their safe return.

They said there was nothing concrete to sustain them when they come back home. At the centre of the lingering controversy was a $1 million (N410m) levy imposed on Nigerian traders and other foreign investors to pay Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) before the shops would be opened.

Some of the traders said the levy was more than the capital they have and described the tax as a deliberate attempt to force them out of Ghana.

The conditions set by the Ghanaian authorities had triggered a debate in Nigeria and within the African sub-region, which many considered as a breach of ECOWAS’ trade protocols.

After receiving a formal complaint from its citizens at the onset of the imbroglio, the Nigerian government had set up a ministerial committee to find a lasting solution to the plight of the traders but it appeared not much had been achieved.

The committee was made up of representatives of the ministries of Interior, Trade and Investment, Foreign Affairs and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
After a meeting with a delegation of the Nigerian traders, the committee resolved to engage the Ghanaian government in every way possible to end the crisis, with a promise to evacuate any trader who may wish to return home.

Despite these efforts, the President of the Nigerian Traders Union in Ghana (NUTAG), Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, said there was hope in sight.

“Things are getting worse, members of the Ghana Union of Traders locked up more of our shops yesterday night (a fortnight ago),” he said.

“After the visit of the government delegation from Nigeria, the Ghana Ministry of Trade invited us for a meeting with GUTA and a task force was formed and inaugurated. We had second and third meetings and we could not continue because of the way the whole thing was going,” he said.

Full report details at https://www.akelicious.net/despite-diplomatic-interventions-ghanaians-resume-hostility-against-nigerian-traders/

Na see finish dae cause all these one na...ordinary ghana...na our government cause am sha

Any Nigerians that are not ready to abide by Ghana law should return back home.

It's not by force to live/do business in an abroad

We named a rough sack Ghana must go...


Don't complain.

Law of sowing and reaping continues.

This is example of what our brother are doing there, very soon Ghana will have no respect for Yoruba and Hausa again because of Kongo Jews