Fresh Trouble: Nigerian traders and locals face off again



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The trade war between Nigerian traders and their Ghanaian counterparts broke out again.

This time, Ghanaian traders moved their business to the enclave of the Opera Square, in the central business district of Accra, by closing and closing some shops belonging to some Nigerians.

The surveillance reports indicate that it took the intervention of a swift police response team from Ghana yesterday to put an end to raging local merchants.

Local traders have always claimed that Nigerian traders have resumed their retail activities, as stipulated in the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) GIPC (Law 85). The law prohibits foreigners from engaging in retail business.

Last month, Ghanaians in the Suame Magazine area of ​​Kumasi shut down shops to Nigerians, claiming that their West African counterparts had moved away from the wholesale trade and had resumed the retail business. The police had to intervene to protect the Nigerian traders.

Nigerians in Ghana also cited the protocol of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) signed in 1979 by the then state leaders, which guaranteed the free movement of goods, services and people. The protocol also guarantees a right of residence and a right of establishment of the citizens of the community.

The Ghanaian authorities have been reluctant to apply the GIPC 85 law, which could have serious repercussions on the long-standing relations with Nigeria.

Last month, leaders of the Ghana Union Traders Association (GUTA) announced that if the government and law enforcement agencies did not respect local laws, they would go ahead to enforce them by closing and closing Nigerian stores in stores.

Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament, asked Nigerian traders to go to court and get a final ruling.

He said that the problem was a thornbone that needed to be resolved as soon as possible, as it was likely to cause unrest in the subregion, especially when the unpleasant exchanges between traders from these sister countries continue to deteriorate. occupy the media space.

Watch the video below of one of the incidents that occurred on Opera Square yesterday;

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