Politics
Senate Probes Closure Of Nigerians’ Shops In Ghana
The Senate yesterday sought for inquiry on the alleged closure of more than 600 shops and businesses belonging to Nigerians by Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) on December 2.
The resolution of the Senate to wade into the matter followed a motion sponsored by Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP Anambra) on “The need to investigate alleged ill treatment and injustices suffered by Nigerian Traders and Business owners in Ghana”.
Presenting the motion at plenary, Ubah decried the alleged injustice and ill treatment of Nigerian traders and Nigerian business owners in Ghana .
He said it was a concern because Ghana and Nigeria as members of ECOWAS have reciprocal obligations under the ECOWAS Protocol to their respective citizens to reside and do business within their territories without molestation.
Ubah said as at the end of 2010, Nigerian businesses accounted for 60 per cent of foreign investments in Ghana from African continent.
He said once flourishing economic relations between Nigeria and Ghana had come under repeated threats as a result of recent hostile posture of Ghanaian authorities and indigenous Ghanaian’s Traders Union towards Nigerian traders.
He said Ghanaians had adopted discriminatory legislations aimed at frustrating Nigerian traders such as the passage of the Ghana Investment Promotion Commission Act 865 (GIPC).
He said the act raised the amount of money in registering businesses owned by foreigners (mostly owned by Nigerians) in Ghana to 200, 000 dollars .
He said the act further prohibits foreigners from trading in particular markets.
He said the GIPC Act 865 of 2013 also prohibits ECOWAS citizens from engaging in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises ( SMEs) with a further prohibition on registration of SMEs by foreigners.
Ubah also said Nigeria citizens were facing frustrations in registering businesses given obstacles placed on genuine Nigerian entrepreneurs.
According to him, one of the obstacles was the requirement of proof of importation of I million dollars into Ghana.
This, he said was previously applicable to citizens of non-ECOWAS member states such as China and India, among others.
He said Nigeria and Ghana had previously set up a Joint Task Force from the Trade Ministries of both countries to inspect business facilities of companies registered under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS)in both countries.
He said both nation had also organised an economic summit in Accra in 2010 to address the dangers of threats to the business interests of Nigerians in Ghana.
He, however, said the measures and the protection offered Nigerian traders in the ECOWAS framework had failed to address the incessant threats to Nigerian businesses in Ghana.
He said that unless the senate intervenes, the situation may deteriorate into a serious diplomatic and economic crisis.
He said the complaints of affected Nigerian traders and business owners had yet to receive the deserved attention by appropriate authorities from the Federal Government of Nigeria in spite of repeated written complaints.
Ubah said there was an urgent need to investigate the allegations and indeed draw the attention of Federal Government of Nigeria and its relevant authorities to the unfortunate development.
Contributing, Sen. Binos Yaroe(PDP Adamawa), who seconded the motion, decried the hostility against Nigerian business in Ghana.
He said there was the need to put in place measures that would protect Nigerian business in Ghana.
However, Sen. Isa Jubril (APC Kogi), said every country had a policy on how to protect its indigenous enterprise.
Isa said the action of the Ghanaian authority was designed to protect the interest of its citizens, insisting there was need to investigate the matter.
But Sen. Abubakar Yusuf (APC Taraba), however, said that he differed from the proposed process of archiving the intended result.
He said some of the contents of the motion were highly speculative, noting that the issue was really an executive matter and the Senate should be careful on its handling of the matter.
However, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, (PDP Abia) said the motion seeks to draw the attention to what was happening to Nigerians in Ghana and seek to ensure that Nigerian Citizens were not unduly punished.
Sen. Sandy Onor (PDP Cross River), said that there was the need to investigate and see why Ghanaian authority was embarking on such policy.
The Senate, in its resolution, delegated its Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Investment to liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to investigate the status of Nigerian businesses in Ghana.
In his remark, President of Senate Ahmad Lawan said that it was the responsibility of government to seek for the protection its citizens where ever they reside.
He said the time had come for Nigeria to engage Ghanaian authority to find out what the actual situation was and proffer solution.
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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