The Federal government has decried the closure of Nigerian Traders shops in Ghana saying urgent steps would be taken to address the issue.
The Ghanian authorities had explained that the closure of the shops belonging to Nigerian traders was premised on their ‘failure’ to pay the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) registration fees.
The requirement for GIPC registration is $1 million minimum foreign equity, while registration fee is 31,500 cedis.
While reacting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama described the closure of the shops as painful.
“Nigerian Government has watched with dismay the painful videos of the forceful closure of the shops of Nigerian traders in #Ghana. Urgent steps will be taken.” he twitted.
Nigerian Government has watched with dismay the painful videos of the forceful closure of the shops of Nigerian traders in #Ghana. Urgent steps will be taken. #StayHomeSaveLives #COVID19 @NigeriaGov @DigiCommsNG @ecowas_cedeao
— Geoffrey Onyeama (@GeoffreyOnyeama) August 17, 2020
The president of Nigerian Traders Union in Ghana, Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, had in an interview decried the closure of shops owned by Nigerians, saying the Ghanaian authorities demanded cash payment of $1million from them before the shops would be opened.
He said an inter-ministerial task force went round on August 10 to identify shops owned by Nigerian traders and requested for registration of business taxes, resident permit, standard control and Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) registration.
Nnaji, added that the humiliation of Nigerians in Ghana, “is getting out of hands” just as he called for the intervention of the Nigerian government.
