SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 – President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana on Thursday gave the assurance that the attacks against Nigerian traders in Ghana were being taken care of.
The President stated this at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in New York on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly.
Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, made this known in a statement in Abuja.
The Ghanaian leader said there was no intention to deliberately target Nigerians, noting that it was all about complying with the rules that guide trading in the country.
He said: “I have met with the different groups and have been reassured that there was no agenda to send anybody away.
“It is just that they needed to regularize their positions according to the trading laws of the country.”
President Akufo-Addo added that Ghana’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, had issued a press statement on the matter.
The statement read: “The Ministry of Trade and Industry wishes to inform the general public that the National Committee on Retail Trade will continue to ensure that all businesses operating in the retail trade sector of Ghana are given the opportunity and support to regularize their operations and comply with the laws and regulations in the country.
“In this regard, all owners of the affected businesses and shops are requested to contact the relevant State Institutions and Agencies to regularize their operations as required by the various bodies under reference.
“The Ministry takes this opportunity to assure the general public, particularly the international community, that there is no orchestrated action by Government or any State Institution targeted at Nigerian nationals or any particular foreign nationals.”
Buhari, who expressed delight over the actions taken so far to address the situation, stressed that Nigeria and Ghana had a relationship that dated back in time.
He, therefore, urged citizens of both countries to comply with the relevant laws.
