Senate probes alleged closure of over 600 Nigerian businesses in Ghana

The Senate on Tuesday directed its Committees on Foreign Affairs
and Trade and Investment to liase with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to determine the status of over 600 Nigerian shops and
businesses in Ghana alleged shut down by that authorities in that
country.

The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) had on December 2
allegedly shut down shops and business premises belonging to
Nigerians in the country.

The move by the Senate followed a motion sponsored by Senator
Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP Anambra), titled: “They need to investigate
alleged ill-treatment and injustices suffered by Nigerian traders
and business owners in Ghana”.

In his remarks, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said it was the
responsibility of government to seek for the protection its
citizens wherever they may reside.

He said the time has come for Nigeria to engage the Ghanaian
authorities to find out what the actual situation was and to
proffer lasting solutions.

Ubah in his lead debate, decried the alleged ill-treatment
against Nigerian traders and business owners in the neighbouring
West African country.

He noted that as at the end of 2010, Nigerian businesses
accounted for 60 per cent of foreign investments in Ghana from
African continent.

He lamented that the once flourishing economic relations between
Nigeria and Ghana had come under repeated threats as a result of
recent hostile posture of the Ghanaian authorities and indigenous
Ghanaians Traders Union toward Nigerian traders.

He described the development as worrisome since “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.”

He said that Ghana 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 for registering
businesses by foreigners (mostly Nigerians) in Ghana to
$200,000.

He said the Act further prohibited foreigners from trading in
particular markets.

He said the GIPC Act 865 of 2013 also prohibited ECOWAS citizens
from engaging in small and medium scale enterprises (SMSEs) with a
further prohibition on registration of SMEs by foreigners.

Ubah also said Nigeria citizens were being frustrated from
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 into Ghana.

This, he said was previously applicable to citizens of
non-ECOWAS member states such as China, 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
Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) in both countries.

He said both nation had also organised an economic submit in
Accra in 2010 to address the dangers of threats to the business
interests of Nigerians in Ghana.

He, however, regretted that the measures and the protection
offered Nigerian traders under the ECOWAS framework had failed to
address the incessant threats to Nigerian businesses in Ghana .

He insisted that unless the Senate intervenes, the situation may
deteriorate into a serious diplomatic and economic row.

He said the complaints of affected Nigerian traders and business
owners are yet to receive the deserved attention by appropriate
authorities from the Federal Government despite repeated formal
complaints.

Ubah argued that there was an urgent need to investigate the
allegations and indeed draw the attention of Federal Government and
its relevant authorities to the unfortunate development.

FRSC Deploys 39,450 Personnel to Highways on Ember
Months Campaigns

Pursuant to the commitment towards the realisation of its
corporate mandate and the imperatives of making the highways safer
during the yuletide, the Federal Road Safety Corps has mobilised a
total of 39,450 of its personnel including special Marshal’s, 806
patrol vehicles, 120 Ambulances, 204 motor bikes, and 27 tow trucks
along designated routes as part of measures to ensure sanity on the
nation’s highways, during this year’s Christmas and end of the year
celebrations.

The Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem revealed that
the special patrol which is scheduled to hold from 15 December 2019
to 19 January 2020 entails 24 hours enforcement along major
highways, robust public enlightenment campaigns across the nation,
prompt rescue/recovery services, stakeholder collaboration, Road
Safety Observatory, uninterrupted motorized patrol, day time route
lining, traffic control, operation of Mobile Courts, activation of
high alert on internal and external medical facilities,
establishment of road camps and help areas, arieal surveillance,
and purposeful synergy with other security agencies.

To achieve the aforementioned, the Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye
Oyeyemi has directed that the 2019 Ember Months campaign be
targeted at enforcement on critical offences, such as; excessive
speeding, dangerous driving, tyre violation, lane indiscipline,
road obstruction, use of phone while driving, overloading
violation, seatbelt use violation, child safety, passengers
manifest violation, mechanically deficient vehicles, and unlatched
container carrying vehicles.

Kazeem stated that part of this nationwide special operation is
the massive deployment of personnel and logistics along 52
designated critical corridors and black spots such as
Lokoja-Benin-Auchi, Abaji-Lokoja,
Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-HawanKibo-Jos,
Minna-Birnin-Kebbi-Sokoto-Gusau-Funtua-Zaria, Potiskum-Damaturu,
Kabba and Udi-Orji River-Awka-Owo, Ibadan-Ogere-Sagamu,
Abuja-Airport Road-Giri and Opi-Junction-Nike-Enugu Highways among
others identified for this exercise”.

Similarly, the Corps has identified the following alternative
routes that can be used by motorists to ease traffic flow:
Lokoja-Kabba-Ayere-Akunu-Ise Junction-Ileare-Ado Ekiti-Ilesha,
Lokoja-Kabba-Ayere, Lokoja-Okene-Ogori Magongo-Owo, 9th
Mile-Udi-Oji River-Ufuma-Umunze, Bauchi-Alkaleri-Kaltungo, and
Kaduna-Kachji-Kwoi-Manchok.

Others are Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto-Abaji-Lokoja,
Lagos-Ikorodu-Sagamu, Lekki-Epe-Ijebu Ode, Sango Ota-Ifo-Abeokuta,
Dutse Alhaji-Bwari-Jere, and Dutse
Alhaji-Bwari-Kwoi-Kafanchan-Jos.

According to Kazeem, the Corps Marshal has directed Commanding
Officers to ensure adequate deployment of logistics and operational
materials within their Commands to aid the campaign. The
Operational Materials are: Patrol Vehicles, Advance Life Support
Ambulances, Heavy Duty Tow trucks, Medium and Light duty tow
trucks, Patrol Motor Bikes, Extricating Machines, Reflective
Jackets, Traffic cones, Patrolites, Radar Guns, Breathalyzer,
Cameras, e-tablets, Alcolizers, Walkie-Talkie, and CUG mobile
phones. .

Motorists are also warned to ensure strict compliance with all
traffic rules and regulations as well as proper maintenance of
their vehicles. Passengers are equally enjoined to monitor their
drivers over reckless driving, driving under the influence of
alcohol and other road vices.

Following the need to bridge the existing gap in communication
between the motoring public and the Corps, Kazeem disclosed that
the Corps has established the National Traffic Radio 107.1 FM for
daily traffic updates for travellers, effective enlightenment and
education on best road culture among others. The station is to
serve as a veritable platform for the motoring public to report any
obstruction, incidences of crash or traffic-related
emergencies.

In case of any emergency, call the toll free telephone line 122
and 070022553772 or tune in to the National Traffic Radio 107.1FM
and call 08052998090, 09067000015, or visit the social media
handles; Facebook TrafficRadio1, Twitter; @TrafficRadio1,
Instagram: TrafficRadio1 for prompt response. The FRSC Corps
Marshal wishes all road users a crash free and joyful Yuletide.

Bisi Kazeem
Corps Public Education Officer