Nigerian traders confirm reopening of businesses in Ghana

Nigerian traders in Ghana have confirmed reopening of hundreds of shops and businesses that were shut by the Ghanaian authorities.

The President, Nigeria Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG), Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, confirmed this in a statement made available to newsmen.

The closure of the over 400 shops had sparked protests by Nigerian traders, who condemned the eviction order issued by the Ghanaian government that foreigners should vacate the country’s retail markets or have one million dollars as minimum foreign investment capital to do business in Ghana.

The Federal Government had, on Nov. 2, summoned the Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, Rashid Bawa, to give a definitive explanation on the matter.

“I can confirm to you that our shops have been reopened by the Ghanaian authorities,” Nnaji said, adding that Nigerian traders were conducting their businesses peacefully without harassment.

Nnaji said that checks conducted in the affected areas revealed that the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) Executives had opened the locked up shops in Suame Magazine Industrial enclave for foreign (Nigerian) traders.

He said that those that had not been opened were locked because owners were not present at their shops and GUTA Executives want to open the shops with the owners present.