The Federal Government has recalled its envoy to Ghana for consultations over the closure of business premises belonging to Nigerians in that country.
Ghanaian officials had sealed off Nigerians’ shops in Accra for allegedly failing to have the $1m equity stipulated by the Ghana Investment Promotions Council.
The Nigerian government had said it might drag Ghana to the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States if found to have breached the sub-region’s Protocol of Free Movement of Peoples.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in a tweet, said: “In the context of the closing of shops of Nigerians in Ghana, recall for consultations the Nigerian Chargé d’Affaires in Ghana. Held further discussions with the representatives of Nigerian traders in Ghana and the Ghanaian Chargé d’Affaires in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, Nigerian traders operating in Ghana, yesterday stormed the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Abuja to protest the locking up of their shops in Ghana.
The placard-carrying protesters said the traders were running out of patience because they have waited for seven years for the Nigerian government to intervene but to no avail.
Leader of the group, Nze Ugo-Akpe Onwuka, explained that the plight of Nigerians doing business in Ghana was reaching boiling point and could degenerate to a point where Nigerians will become subject of xenophobic attacks if the issue is not dealt with.
He said, “We have had enough. This has been going on for seven years, we are being harassed and targeted even though our documentation is up to date.
“Where is the ECOWAS protocol? This is not right. We have Ghanaians doing business here and they are not being harassed. Some of us employ them to work for us in Ghana, yet the authorities there harass us for no just cause.”
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