Ghanaians renew attacks on Nigerians, lock 1000 shops to retaliate borders closure
By Ochiaka Ugwu with
agency report
Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador Olufemi
Michael Abikoye has averted what would have resulted in a large scale fight
between Nigeria traders and their Ghanaian counterparts following alleged
illegal closure of about 1000 shops belonging
to Nigerians and attack on some
traders .
The High Commissioner moved in swiftly and appealed to Nigerian traders to allow the Federal Government of
Nigeria complete the process of resolving the issue.
Nigerian traders were agitated following attacks by Ghanaian
traders who wielded various weapons and descended on them at Circle Tip Toe
Lane, near the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange in Accra. The attack occurred following an attempt by
Nigeria traders to reopen their shops which were locked on Sunday, 1st
December, 2019, by members of GUTA allegedly using the Ghana Police Force
No lives were lost during the incidence, but some Nigerians
were arrested namely, Uche Onwurah, Chizoba Onwurah, Abuchi Kenneth, Onyekachi
Iheoma and Darlington Logo. Three
Ghanaians were also arrested.
The Nigerian High Commissioner sought the intervention of
various Ghanaian establishments to ensure that the illegally locked shops were
immediately opened. However, the shops are still under lock as the situation is
still a bit tense.
To further compound the problem and to clearly show that
they have the backing of their government, an Executive member of GUTA, Mr.
Eric Gumfi, in a press statement on Monday, further threatened that his
association would continue with the closure of all shops belonging to
foreigners in ensuring the GIPC Act is enforced.
The pre-meditated attacks on the Nigerian retailers followed
the expiration of a purported one-week ultimatum issued by GUTA on 18th
November 2019, for the Ghanaian Government to begin unilaterally enforcing the
controversial Ghana Investment Protection Commission (GIPC) Act that they claim
bars foreigners from retail trade in the country and also for the foreign
traders to clear the goods in their shops or face the wrath of the association.
Section 27 (1) of the GIPC Act states that any foreigner or
enterprise that is not wholly-owned by a citizen shall not invest or
participate in the sale of goods or provision of services in a market, petty
trading or hawking or selling of goods in a stall at any place.
There has been on-going tension between Ghanaian and
Nigerian traders of recent, with almost 1,000 shops belonging to Nigerian
traders illegally shot down by the GUTA members. The excuse for their action
was linked to Nigeria’s temporal closure of its land border and the
shortlisting of about 45 products from the ECOWAS trade liberalisation scheme
(ETLS), an action which they claimed crippled their trading activities with
Nigeria.
There are fears that such attacks by GUTA could threaten the
national security of both countries and mar bilateral relations if drastic
steps are not taken by Ghana and Nigeria to address the issue amicably.
Meanwhile Ambassador Abikoye has strongly condemned the
attack on equivocal terms. The High Commissioner however appealed to Nigerian traders
in Ghana to remain calm and never take laws into their hands, as the High
Commission is doing everything possible to resolve the issue.
There is on-going dialogue between the High Commissioner and
Ghanaian Government functionaries on the best way to permanently put the
situation under control.
Ghanaians renew attacks on Nigerians, lock 1000 shops to retaliate borders closure
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