The Federal Government of Nigeria has moved to end the hostilities posed on Nigerian traders in Ghana.
On February 6, 2013, 40 shops belonging to Nigerians were closed by Ghanaian Government on an alleged violation of Ghana’s laws on trading by foreigners.
It has now been reported that with the involvement of the Nigerian government, the shops are now open.
The shops were located in the Okaishie Market area in the Central Business District, Accra.
The notice received by Nigerians was titled; “Non Ghanaians Engaged in Trading in Market Places read, “It has come to the notice of the task force that you are engaged in trading activities in the market place. Your activities contravene section 18 of GPIC Law 1194 (Act 478).
“Please take notice that your continuous operations from the market will no more be allowed and that your shop has been permanently closed from today. In case you have any difficulties related to the actions of the task force, please do not hesitate to contact the under signed at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.”
A statement on Tuesday disclosed that the agreement to re-open the shops was reached at a meeting between the Ghana’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Haruna Idrissu, and the Nigerian delegation to Ghana, led by the Minister of state for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom.
“We are working with our foreign affairs counterpart to ensure that we interface with Ghanaian officials to stop the harassment of our traders in Ghana.
“You know that existing ECOWAS protocols require us to operate in Ghana just like Ghanaians are also allowed to do same in Nigeria,” Ortom added at the inauguration of the National Organising Committee at the 7th ECOWAS Trade Fair in Abuja.