Ghana Shops’ Reopening: Nigerian Traders Celebrate, Applaud Buhari, ECOWAS
The Nigerian Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG), has applauded the Federal Government, ECOWAS, Ghanaian authority and relevant stakeholders for their timely intervention to re-open Nigerians shops in Ghana.
The President of NUTAG, Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, who confirmed the shops’ reopening by Ghanaian authorities, hailed the Nigerian government for working so hard to achieve the feat.
“Yes, the Government of Nigeria has worked so hard to bring this success. All our shops are now opened. We want to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his intervention,” Nnaji said.
In a telephone conversation with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Kumasi, Ghana Thursday, Nnaji commended President Buhari for sending a special envoy led by Foreign Affairs Minister, and President of ECOWAS Commission, Jean Claude Brou, to Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo to amicably resolve the contentious matter.
“We also commend the ECOWAS president, Jean Claude Brou, and his commissioners and other envoys sent to Ghana so many times over the issue.
“We also want to thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for their efforts,” the NUTAG President said.
Nnaji said the Minister had on November 2, 2018 summoned the Ghanaian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Rashid Bawa, over the re-opening of the shops and lauded the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador Olufemi Abikoye, and his Ghanaian counterpart, Bawa, on their efforts in resolving the impasse.
Nnaji also expressed NUTAG’s appreciation to Ghanaian President Akufo-Addo for his fatherly role and efforts that ensure the shops were re-opened.
NAN recalled that President Akufo-Addo had assured Nigerians in Ghana of freedom to operate their businesses without harassment.
Speaking when he received President Buhari’s Special Envoy to Ghana, led by Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Geofrey Onyeama, President Akufo-Addo urged Nigerians to go about their normal businesses in Ghana without any fear of further harassment or intimidation.
“As far as the traders are concerned, the shops are re-opened; people are back to work. Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act will never be applicable to ECOWAS citizens; so people can get on with their normal lives,” the Ghanaian Leader assured.
Hundreds of shops run by Nigerians were reportedly affected in a running battle with the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).
The impasse was sparked off by GUTA’s insistence on implementing a legislation allegedly imposing one million dollars (R14.3 million) as minimum foreign investment capital on foreign traders and their businesses in Ghana. – NAN
