Nigerian traders protesting Ghanaian attack on their businesses
The President of the National Association of
Nigerian Traders (NANTS), Mr. Ken Ukaoha, on Thursday raised the alarm over
allegations that Nigerian traders in Ghana were being harassed and attacked by
state sponsored thugs while the country police looked away.
He said Nigerians appeared to be no longer safe in
Ghana and urged the Nigerian Government to take urgent steps to salvage the
situation.
NANTS had recently petitioned President Muhammadu
Buhari and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over the
closure of over 400 businesses owned by Nigerians in Ghana, following the
passage of a law which required businesses to have up to $1 million in working
capital.
Despite latest assurances from the President of
Ghana, Koffi Nana-Akudo, who had ordered the re-opening of the shops as well
from ECOWAS parliament following recent protests, Ukaoha expressed the
disappointment of the association that the situation had become worse as the
businesses remained closed.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, he said xenophobic
attacks have started in Ghana as Nigerians who attempted to reopen their shops
were attacked with machete.
He said there appeared to be hypocrisy on the part
of the government of Ghana towards resolving the tense situation.
The group further wondered why it was taking Ghana
an eternity to enforce the order of the president to reopen closed businesses.
He said: "This matter started since 2007 and
till date, this same subject has been hanging on the necks of both countries
and ECOWAS unresolved.
"We don't understand why Nigerians living in
Ghana should be treated like animals. We don't understand why the relationship
will be heading towards a xenophobic dimension. We don't understand what the
Ghanaian Government and the people are gaining by maltreating Nigerians.
"We don't understand what the Ghanaian Government
and her people are gaining by attacking Nigerian traders and closing over 400
shops for several months now- locking up the livelihood of the people with no
just cause."
The NANTS president also said the latest reports of
killing and maiming of Nigerians would adversely affect bilateral relations
between both countries.
According to him, “Till date all the shops remain
closed. What does it take the government of Ghana to do the needful? We want
the international community to hear this. I want to be frank here; the water
has gone beyond what we can swallow and we are vomiting it.
"And in this regard, although our government
is trying its best to ensure that there's a diplomatic solution to this matter,
we are fed up with the government of Ghana.
"We may be pushed to the wall to take reactive
steps, and nobody should hold us accountable for the people of Ghana- over two
million Ghanaians who are living in Nigeria. We know what to do.
"We can retaliate, we can act and we have our
own way too. We are being punished for doing nothing."
Ukaoha said Nigerian traders were being punished for
doing nothing, stressing that the newly introduced law which targeted their
businesses was inconsistent with ECOWAS parliament trade agreements.
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