Nigeria’s Speaker concedes ‘misconception’ driving trade war between Ghana
Nigeria’s Speaker of House of Representatives has conceded that misconception is the driving force of the trade war between the two countries.
Ghanaian and Nigerian traders have been at each other’s throat over Nigerians engagement in retail trading.
But Nigeria’s Speaker, who led a delegation on a two-day fact-finding mission to Ghana to ascertain matters for themselves, said “the issue at hand is basically a misconception and misinformation,” which he and his delegation had come to understand during their visit.
“The people, perhaps, the media on both sides as well… As to what exactly is going on in Ghana as far as Nigerians are concerned. We have taken time to educate our people here about those misconceptions,” Mr Femi Gbajabiamila added.
“We deliberated and resolved that whatever needs to be done on both sides to make sure that this relationship remains the relationship it used to be and still is, we will do”.
On August 17, 2020, Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama in a tweet expressed his government’s disquiet with a video that went viral showing the closure of some shops that allegedly belong to Nigerian traders in Ghana.
In his tweet, Mr. Onyeama said, “Nigerian government has watched with dismay the painful videos of the forceful closure of the shops of Nigerian traders in Ghana”.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information also waded into the matter.
But addressing the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila-led delegation, President Akufo-Addo, said he was really taken aback and alarmed by the statement of the federal Minister for Information of Nigeria.
“I was alarmed when I read the statement. If these are really the attitudes and sentiments of the federal government of Nigeria, then we were in a really serious problem,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Request for Legislation Review
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, in his statement to President Akufo-Addo, said he has suggested to the Parliamentary leadership of Ghana to reconsider the legislation that imposes a huge surcharge on foreigners who intend to trade in Ghana.
“We have appealed to Parliament that if it is possible at all, and it is an appeal if it is possible at all to please look again at the issues as far as the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act is concerned, then they should please do so. If it is not possible, then let us look at ways where the pain can be a little bit reduced, or the difficulties in meeting those expectations espoused in the law can be reduced,” Mr Gbajabiamila noted.
“We have proffered suggestions which we are working on, one of which is, as he did mention, was the establishment of a Ghana, Nigeria Business Council backed by legislation on both sides,” the Nigerian Speaker of the House of Representatives addressed.
Review of Legislation
President Akufo-Addo assured the Nigerian Speaker of the House of Representatives and his delegation that all the suggestions they had made from the establishment of the Ghana-Nigerian Business Council to legislative reviews are all welcomed, and they would be given opportune attention by his government.
“The review that you are asking for, why not? If that is worth doing from our mutual perspectives, it will make a lot of sense, so you can take it for granted that the request that you have made will be treated seriously and we will have a look at it,” President Akufo-Addo stated.