The President of Nigerian Traders Union in Ghana, Chukwuemeka Nnaji, has condemned the closing down of shops that are owned by Nigerians in Ghana by Ghanaian authorities.
While making the revelation to the press, Nnaji appealed to the Nigerian government to intervene in the issue.
He disclosed that Nigerian traders’ shops in Accra were locked up by Ghanaian authorities who demanded for cash payment of one million dollars from them as a requirement for reopening the shops.
While talking further, Nnaji said an inter-ministerial task force started moving round on 10th August to identify shops owned by Nigerians and demanded business taxes, standard control, resident permit and Ghana Investment Promotion Council registration.
He said: “Most of our members do not have the GIPC registration, because it requires one million dollars cash or equity and they gave us 14 days within which to regularise.
“As of Thursday, they had moved to another area and started locking up shops of Nigerian traders.
“Nigerian life in Ghana matters. This is the livelihood of Nigerians being destroyed by Ghanaian Authorities. This is not being perpetrated by a trade union, but Ghanaian authorities.
“They demanded that we must employ a minimum of 25 skilled Ghanaian workers and must not trade in commodities that Ghanaian traders have applied to trade in.
“The humiliation of Nigerians is getting out of hand. We are calling on the Nigerian government to come to our aid. We have legally registered our businesses and we pay taxes.”
