The troubles have worsened ten months after a series of high-level bilateral negotiations between the Nigerian government and Ghanaian authorities aimed at resolving the nearly decade-long disagreement that resulted in the closure of Nigerian traders’ businesses in Ghana, according to a Daily Trust investigation.
Hundreds of Nigerians have lost their livelihoods as a result of the blockage, and they are urging the federal government to utilize other means to break the standoff.
Between September 20 and 24, members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) were said to have locked up additional Nigerian-owned shops as part of a supposed protest against foreigners who run retail stores in Ghana.
Retail traders in the New Juaben South Municipality were targeted during the recent attack.
According to the attackers, Ghanaian regulations prohibit foreigners from participating in the retail business.
Dozens of shops have been locked this time in addition to the over 250 shops belonging to Nigerians locked in December 2019, July 2020 and December 2020.
Many of the affected traders said they were stranded and had to beg to feed. They were however reluctant to come back home despite a window created by the federal government to facilitate their safe return.
Some of the traders said the levy was more than the capital they have and described the tax as a deliberate attempt to force them out of Ghana.
The conditions set by the Ghanaian authorities had triggered a debate in Nigeria and within the African sub-region, which many considered as a breach of ECOWAS’ trade protocols.
After receiving a formal complaint from its citizens at the onset of the imbroglio, the Nigerian government had set up a ministerial committee to find a lasting solution to the plight of the traders but it appeared not much had been achieved.
The committee was made up of representatives of the ministries of Interior, Trade and Investment, Foreign Affairs and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
Despite these efforts, the President of the Nigerian Traders Union in Ghana (NUTAG), Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, said there was hope in sight.
“Things are getting worse, members of the Ghana Union of Traders locked up more of our shops yesterday night (a fortnight ago),” he said.
“After the visit of the government delegation from Nigeria, the Ghana Ministry of Trade invited us for a meeting with GUTA and a task force was formed and inaugurated. We had second and third meetings and we could not continue because of the way the whole thing was going,” he said.
