FG breaks silence on maltreatment of Nigerian traders in Ghana

 

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), has denied claims that the situation with Nigerian traders working in Ghana was prompted by Nigeria’s decision to close its borders.

Dabiri-Erewa made the disclosure while speaking on Channels Television breakfast show, Sunrise Daily, on Monday, November 16.

According to the NIDCOm chairman, Ghana’s treatment towards Nigerian traders was based on a complex issue of not being able to compete with them in terms of prices.

She went on to note that long before Nigeria decided to close its borders the issues have been going on for years.

. Photo credit: BuinessDay

The former lawmaker stated that border closure has impacted negatively on the finances and psychological state of many of the Nigerian traders.

She said:

“They are not the same thing actually. There’s a reason why borders were closed. You can’t be bringing in small arms and ammunition and all that and Nigeria will not take action.

“We are talking of people that have been living in your country, working very well for years. And I think it boils down to this lack of trust and some kind of complex. Because, these Nigerian traders sell their goods at cheaper prices; you know, Nigerians are very industrious.

So the reality is that the Ghanian traders say it is really difficult to compete with the Nigerian traders. And they’ve put it in one million dollars to almost impossible for traders to . . . so let’s leave the issue of border closure.”

Meanwhile federal government reacted to the request of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana for the evacuation of its members to their homeland following cases of ill-treatment in the country.

The government said it will have to make the move if it can put an end to the constant harassment of its citizens in the gold coast. The request of the union was sent as a letter to the chairman of NIDCOM.