By Victoria Ojeme and Ezra Ukanwa

The Ghana High Commission to Nigeria, has on Thursday announces its readiness to boost business opportunities with Nigeria.

Recall that there has been a fuss between the Ghana Government and the Nigerian traders in Ghana when thr Nigerian traders were asked to register their businesses with a minimum of $1 million.

Despite these disagreements, the Ghana Nigeria Business Council, GNBC, and Ghana Investment Promotion Center, GIPC, in during the 2022 CEO forum, themed: “Ghana & Nigeria Stronger Together, held in Abuja, announced its willingness to collaborate with Nigeria on expanding business ties since both countries have the largest economies with thr West Africa.

Speaking during the event, the Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, H.E Rashir Bawa, said since Nigeria and Ghana enjoy a long-standing socio cultural, economic relationship, this collaboration would enhance and boost the economy strength of both states.

He said: “This is first Ghana and Nigeria business council meeting and we are looking at various areas of cooperation.

“We are having series of meetings that took place in the last two days trying to do meetings. We are looking at non oil of course, in the area of cassava production, in the area of ginger both from raw materials to manufacturing.

“We have had the framework of the ECOWAS protocol in the last 40 years to promote these kind of activities, and then we have the continental free trade which is coming into fruition.
“As we know, Ghana, Nigeria, two big economies within the South region.

It is high time that we formalize these engagement in order to take full advantage of the potentials in Ghana and Nigeria. That is precisely the reason why this forum is kick started.
“This is a matter as we indicated in house that Ghana, Nigeria relations three days independence so it started during the Trans Sahara trade.

“These matters have been there for some time. Efforts have been made from the highest level. The president of the federal republic of Nigeria and that means counterparts in Ghana have put heads together in other to resolve this matter.

“Directors of various ministries of trade, both Ghana and Nigeria to also come together with a framework, that framework culminated to the signing of the memorandum of understanding last year, as we speak, the technical committee is is in place in order to iron out some of these rough edges of this seemingly perennial problem of Nigerian traders in Ghana. I must say that it is so insignificant if you look at in terms of investors investment of Nigerians in Ghana but of course it is a matter that needs to be resolved.

“So I must say that is not a general happening in Ghana in the spirits of Nigeria not being treated, it is a matter that as you are aware even two siblings sometimes have a little bit of misunderstanding which will be ironed out soon and it will be a thing of the past.

“It is going to be huge as was indicated. We don’t want it to be a one time forum we want it to be continuous as we speak the Nigera investment council, the Ghana investment commission council are working out arrangements to have annual meetings among themselves.

“There will be a cordination between the Ghanian business men and the Nigerian Business men. We belive that pretty soon we will have a second collaboration that will be of benefits for both countries.”

To this end, the Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, commended the Ghana High Commissioner, stating that this partnership is coming in a time when both countries are to join hands together in utilizing their potentials.

Geoffrey Onyeama, who was represented by Amb. Mustapha Mukaila, Director of the West African Division in the ministry, further stated that despite the issues between the Ghana government and the Nigerian Traders in Ghana, the collaboration would enhance the business relationship that has always existed between the states.

He further stressed that federal government is making efforts to address and give adequate protection to the Nigerian traders in Ghana.

He said: “Nigeria as a country, and Ghana we have excellent relations. And this program is part of the framework for further improving and strengthen the relationship between Nigeria, and Ghana, especially in the economic field.

“We will are recollect that Nigeria government has the policy in the federal ministry of foreign affairs for economic diplomacy. This program is part of our efforts to further improve and further relations in economy field with Ghana and other other countries with the Africa, continent.

“Last month in January, specifically, the Honorable Minister of Trade investments, set up a committee, a joint ministerial committee, consisting of officials of Minister of Trade for Fireign affairs, cutoms, etc, to look at this particular problem, so also the joint committee between Nigeria and Ghana, at the administral level that we work to resolve the issues or problem of Nigerian traders in Ghana.

“As we all know that the problem was in 2007. When the shops of Nigerians in Ghana were closed and since then, we set up mechanism to solve this. And I can assure you that the way we see this is a very important program for Nigeria to make sure that our compatriots in Ghana, have adequate protection to do their work and Nigeria “Government is working assiduously to resolve this and that is the main tasks of this administarial Committee, which was set up by the minister of Trade, investment and industry last month.

“And their role is to make sure that the rules of the game is adhered by the members. If you recollect, the issue and the genesis of this problem in Ghana is when the Ghana government came out with a policy that Nigeria traders should register with a minimum of $1 million. It is a law in Ghana, and many within the ECOWAS is this may not be compatible with ECOWAS protocol.

“And as the ECOWAS commission is trying to resolve this, with the government of Ghana government of Nigeria, of course, every country has a sovereign right to impose rules and regulations but if you are a member of a super national organization like ECOWAS, and you signed to the protocol, you are under international law. You have the obligation to enforce that protocol within your territory.

“And I think this is what ECOWAS is very useful in resolving this to make sure that it ECOWAS protocols are adhered to in Ghana, and in Nigeria, and everywhere.”