By Meletus EZE
The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) has urged the Federal Government to protect Nigerian traders in Ghana as the quit notice issued to foreigners operating in the Ghanaian retail business sector expired on July 27.
President of the Association, Mr Ken Ukaoha, said on Thursday in Abuja that the quit notice breached the ECOWAS laws on free movement which Ghana was a signatory to.
“The attention of the association has been drawn to the recent ‘quit notice’ served by the Ghanaian Authorities to the Nigerian traders doing their businesses in Ghana.
“According to the circular dated 19th March 2018, announcing the quit notice, the Ministry referred to section 27 of the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) Act 865, (2013).
“It stipulates that a person who is not a citizen or an enterprise which is not wholly owned by Ghanaian citizen shall not invest or participate in the sales of goods or provision of services in a market, petty trading or hawking or selling of goods in a stall at any place.
“The law was enacted to phase out and replace the previous GIPC Act 478 (1994).
“The circular informed Nigerians among other nationals to leave the Ghanaian markets on or before the 27th July 2018,” he said.
Ukaoha said authorities had held several diplomatic meetings with the Ghanaian counterparts on the subject in 2009, 2012 and in 2014.
“Our fear is that mistrusts arising from unguarded actions like the quit notice endorsed and officially announced by the Government of Ghana can only build divisions and segregation that have the potential to trigger xenophobic attacks,’’ he said.
He said the association had written officially to the then President of ECOWAS Commission and the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament to intervene among other measures since 2012.
Ukaoha said the ECOWAS Commission had sent the Task Force on Free Movement to Ghana to intervene while the ECOWAS Parliament’s Committee on Trade, visited and held meetings with relevant stakeholders in Ghana.
He added that surprisingly all the mediations appeared to have only resulted in temporary suspension of the matter.
“We accept that the Ghanaian government has the right to regulate her business environment and specifically, control the activities of Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians doing business in Ghana.
“However, the notice directing Nigerians to move out of all markets by July 27 is a direct attack on, an affront to, and wholesome breach of Article 2 of the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Rights of Residence and the Rights of Establishment.
It stipulates that community citizens, including Nigerians have the right to enter, to reside and to establish lawful businesses in the territory of Member States,” Ukaoha said.
He commended the Ghanaian Ministry of Trade and Industry for momentarily suspending further actions on the ultimatum given to the traders in order to enable proper consultation and sensitisation on the issue.
Ukaoha called on the Nigerian Government to rise up and take the matter more seriously in order to quench the fire once and for all before it snowballed into xenophobic dimensions.
The Association is optimistic of a quick resolution of the matter and hoped that the situation did not repeat itself, Ukaoha said in a statement.
