Nigerian Business Community to FG: Use Ghana Trade Office to solve our problems

The Nigerian business community in Ghana has urged the federal government to use the Nigerian trade office in Accra in addressing its challenges.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the opening of trade offices in some countries to assist the Nigerian business community abroad.

Evaristus Nwankwo, the President, Nigerian Union of Traders Associations in Ghana, said in Accra that the Nigerian business community wanted the federal government to use the office to resolve their challenges.

He said Nigerians in Ghana were excited that President Bola Tinubu approved the opening of the trade office in Accra.

“We understand that the office will be in a position to champion our cause here; they will consult with us on what to do and what not to do.

“The office will also assist us to resolve the challenges we are having in maximizing the African Free Trade Areas (AFTAs). They will assist us to do our businesses in the ECOWAS sub-region,’’ he said.

Nwankwo, who noted that the Nigerian business community in Ghana had several challenges, said: “The major challenge is ensuring that when we have any problem, it is treated promptly. Most of the time, when we have issues, it is delayed in Abuja.

“The trade office in conjunction with the Nigerian mission in Ghana, should assist the business community get residence permits. As we speak, the Ghanaian government gives us a work permit and we pay 500 dollars annually for it.

“Getting 500 dollars is not easy for small scale business owners and it is not every person that can pay it,’’ he said.

Nwankwo also appealed to the Ghanaian government to give the Nigerian business community residence permit in the spirit of ECOWAS protocol.

According to him, some Nigerian businessmen have relocated home because they do not have residence permits.

“We appeal that they give us the residence permit. It is not true that the Nigerian business community is planning to take over or dominate their Ghanaian counterparts.

“We plan to seek an audience with the Ghana Trade Ministry and Department of Immigration on these issues.

“We have a joint taskforce of the Nigerian Union of Traders and Ghana Union of Traders supervised by the Ghana Ministry of Trade,’’ Nwankwo said.

The Nigerian Union of Traders Associations in Ghana was founded in 2007 and has active members in seven regions in Ghana.