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The ongoing diplomatic row between Nigeria and Ghana is as needless as it is unfortunate. The two West African countries have come a long way. But the frequent attacks on Nigerian businesses in that country have become one too many. The earlier the two neighbours come together to sort out their differences, the better for the peace and development of the sub-region. The current row resulted from the closure of some Nigerian businesses in Ghana. According to reports, Nigerian businessmen are expected to show evidence of $1 million Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) registration to remain in business. Those who were unable to meet this requirement had their goods seized and businesses shut down.
This is not the first time this is happening. In July 2018, there was an eviction order over a similar demand that Nigerians must have a minimum of $1million as foreign investment capital to do business in Ghana. Over 400 Nigerians who could not raise the money then were shut out of their businesses. Last December, Ghana Union of Traders (GUTA) added to the pains of Nigerians by allegedly shutting down about 1,000 Nigerian shops.
Nigeria’s Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed, lamented that over 300 shops belonging to Nigerians were locked for four months in Kumasi in 2018, over 600 others locked in 2019 and over 250 locked currently. The leader of the Nigerian traders in Ghana, Chief Chukwuemeka Nnaji, revealed that Ghanaian authorities had subjected Nigerian traders to hardship since 2007 despite registering their businesses and paying their taxes. Ghanaian authorities explained that the action was not only targeted at Nigerians but also to other foreigners who engaged in retail trade restricted exclusively to Ghanaians. The issue may be more than this.
Some months ago, an official building on the premises of the Nigerian High Commission in Accra was pulled down in the guise that the Nigerian High Commission failed to purchase the land and lease title certificates after acquiring the property in 2000. Although it was a certain Osu family, which claimed ownership of the land, that took that action, security agents failed to halt the demolition. Ghana eventually apologised, but hardly had that incident settled when this current face-off erupted again.
Some analysts see the closure of Nigerian borders as being partly responsible for the action of the Ghanaian authorities. Nigeria closed its borders in August 2019 to, among others, stop smuggling and protect local industries. The closure is said to be hurting businesses of neighbouring countries, including Ghana.
Ghana’s Minister of Information, Kojo Nkrumah, said this much when he noted recently that Nigeria had also taken some steps in recent months which had affected other countries in the sub-region. He added that Nigeria closed its Seme’Krake border from August 2019 to date and issued executive orders preventing foreigners from doing jobs that Nigerians can do. The border closure reportedly hurt Ghanaians and nearly rendered many of them bankrupt.
We condemn these frequent attacks on Nigerians in strongest terms. It is unfortunate that some of our neighbours that often exhibit these acts of hostility towards Nigerians do so for no justifiable reason. The recent closure of Nigerian shops in Ghana is against the spirit of good neighbourliness. It is against the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol which presupposes that a Nigerian citizen, for instance, is also a citizen of Ghana and vice versa. ECOWAS citizens are meant to live anywhere in West Africa without molestation. Many Ghanaians live and do business in Nigeria and nobody harasses them.
However, it is reassuring that the Federal Government not only faulted Ghana’s action, but also threatened reprisals against it. It said it might drag Ghana to the Community Court of Justice of the ECOWAS if found to have breached the sub-region’s free movement of peoples protocol.
Besides, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, recently led a delegation of members of the House to Ghana on a two-day legislative diplomatic mission. Both Gbajabiamila and the Speaker of the Ghanaian Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye, expressed hope that the issues affecting the two countries would be resolved amicably.
We are also hopeful that the discussions will bear fruits and that the two sister countries will explore all other necessary diplomatic options to sort out their differences. The current rivalry is totally uncalled for. We urge them to avoid grandstanding and settle the problems amicably.
As a long-term measure, the Nigerian government should deemphasise the influx of Nigerians to other countries. One major way of doing this is to provide the necessary amenities that aid good living. The government should also endeavour to enhance the ease of doing business in the country so that the lure to travel out for whatever reason will be minimised.
