Nigerian traders operating in Ghana have requested to be repatriated back to Nigeria. The traders expressed their intention in a letter delivered to Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), spokesman for the commission Gabriel Odu disclosed.
The President of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), Ken Ukoaha, was the leader of the delegation alongside officials of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana (NUTAG).
The NiDCOM spokesman said, the letter had the signatures of 753 Nigerian traders in Ghana, was seeking the federal governments support in the evacuation of affected Nigerians from the West African country, over “constant harassment, threat to life” and the closure of their shops for almost one year.
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“Their request is, among others, to secure a peaceful and secure evacuation of Nigerians in Ghana back home to Nigeria. The letter has a list of 753 members who signed to be supported to return home,” the statement read.
“They explained that the evacuation has become necessary because of the constant and consistent harassment, intimidation, torture and threat to life, as well as a total lockdown of their means of livelihood, as their shops have been locked for almost one year by the Ghanaian authorities.
“More so, since all diplomatic niceties at the highest level between Nigeria and Ghana have not yielded positive results. ‘Now, landlords are coming to ask us for rent. How do we pay with our shops locked up for so long? We are dying here,’ they lamented.”
However, Dabiri-Erewa was quoted to have encouraged the Nigerian traders to remain peaceful in their dealings as “all relevant stakeholders will continually be engaged.”
“She said it is indeed sad that their shops have not been reopened for almost one year, citing draconian conditions against ECOWAS Protocols of Free Trade and movement of goods and services,” Odu said.
“The NIDCOM boss, however, pleaded again with the traders not to allow tempers rise as she will convey their message for support to relocate back home to the appropriate authorities for further consideration and to speed up the process with strategic ministries and agencies to bring a lasting solution to the issues.
“Mrs Dabiri-Erewa also said Nigeria will not hesitate to gladly and safely welcome her citizens back to the country.”
In August this year, Nigerian traders in Ghana raised concern over the closure of their businesses by Ghanaian authorities demanding proof of Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) registration.
Meanwhile, there have been meetings between the governments of Nigeria and Ghana in the effort to address the issues raised, and the Ghanaian authorities had promised to consider a review of the foreign equity requirement.
