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Traders Protest Closure Of Nigerian Shops In Ghana

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7 years ago

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The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) partially paralysed activities at the ECOWAS Secretariat, Abuja, on Monday as they protested the alleged closure of more than 400 shops belonging to Nigerians in Ghana.
The protesters carried placards, some which read: “We need ECOWAS intervention,” “Ghana re-open Nigeria’s shops now,” “ECOWAS, the situation in Ghana is totally unacceptable,” “Ghana wants AfCTA secretariat but clamps on African traders.”
President of the association, Mr Ken Ukaoha,said that the association was protesting the alleged victimisation of Nigerian businessmen in Ghana.
According to him, the association has written petitions to the President of ECOWAS, Jean-Claude Brou and President Muhammadu Buhari before embarking on the protest.
He said that the development had gone so bad that a law was recently passed by the Ghanaian government seeking to make the business environment hostile to foreign investors.
According to him, since Ghana is a signatory to the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons, goods and services, there is need for the commission to call the government of Ghana to order.
He said the association was giving the commission one week ultimatum to intervene in the matter, adding that if nothing was done, the association would deploy all its members to occupy the premises of ECOWAS.
The petition, dated Sept. 24, also stated that the ECOWAS secretariat should tell the government and people of Ghana to stop xenophobic attacks on Nigerian traders.
It alleged that more than 400 Nigerian-owned shops under lock and key in Ghana should be opened.
The petition, made available to newsmen, states that it was a “Save Our Soul (SOS)” call.
“Urgency of this protest is to inform you of the state of fear, uncertainty and insecurity that Nigerian traders are currently subjected to in the hands of the government and people of Ghana in different cities under the coordination of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and Ministry of Trade and Industry.
“You are very much aware that we wrote you, raised alarm and reported to the commission several times, of the discriminatory and unfair treatment meted on Nigerian traders and Nigerian-owned small businesses in Ghana.
“The Ghana Ministry of Trade and Industry issued a public notice and gave an ultimatum that all Non-Ghanaians should move out of markets on the 27th July 2018.
“In August, 2018, the Ministry, in a joint operation with Ghana Union of Traders Association, established a task force with specific mandate to clamp down on Nigerian traders.
“This eventually resulted in the closure of over 400 Nigerian traders’ shops and lawfully established businesses in Kumasi, Ashanti region of Ghana.
“Our members are shut out of their business premises in pursuance of the eviction order dated July 27, 2018 and demanding that we must have one million dollars as minimum foreign investment capital to do business in Ghana.”
The protesters also took their grievances to the Ghana High Commission, in Abuja.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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3 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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3 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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3 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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