GUTA warns extension of Nigeria border closure could heighten tensions in Kumasi

The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) warns the extension of the Nigerian border closure could heighten tension in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi.

This comes after Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari announced that the border will remain closed till January 2020.

Many Ghanaian traders have expressed their outrage over the border closure which has left many of their goods locked up at various entry points.

Some traders at Kumasi have locked up shops belonging to foreign nationals over the development.

According to them, the move is to force government to enforce the GIPC Act, which bars foreign nationals from engaging in retail trade in the country.

They have vowed to replicate the closure of all the shops across the country if government fails to implement the Act.

Speaking in an interview, National President of GUTA, Dr Joseph Obeng said, “The closure of the Nigerian border is what has ignited all this. If they don’t quickly address this issue, tensions will escalate in Kumasi. This particular one is bottom-up because it’s not the leadership that instructed them to close these shops. It’s the traders themselves. We’re doing our best to calm the situation”.

Meanwhile, a memo from the government of Nigeria to border control personnel said the closure has achieved tremendous success.