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Janet Ogundepo writes concerning the life and enterprise of Nigerians dwelling in Ghana and the way they fare amid authorities’s insurance policies.
It was an attractive night on the widespread Nkrumah Circle, Higher Accra Area, Accra, when the toes of this reporter graced the ever-busy space famend for gross sales and repairs of devices.
Nkrumah Circle is likely one of the six visitors interchanges in Accra and it’s named after Ghana’s first president and main determine within the nation’s battle for independence from Britain, Kwame Nkrumah.
An enormous statue of Nkrumah with a hand raised as a logo of solidarity is seated in an elaborate water fountain park. This place is understood to be the central level in Accra identified for its on a regular basis hustle and bustle.
Circle, as it’s identified for brief, is touted to be the hub for the sale and restore of telephones, laptops, and different communication equipment.
This place is likened to Pc Village in Ikeja, Lagos State. It is usually possible the primary place one could be advised to see a cluster of Nigerian merchants.
Nigerians, as this correspondent learnt, have been additionally present in a number of widespread markets in Accra because the Madina Market, Makola, and Tema, amongst others.
A narrowed-down search of the stalls of Nigerians led this correspondent to a busy lane referred to as Odo Rice and a avenue with the identify, Tip Toe Lane. A number of pockets of outlets with a number of indicators and shows of telephone and laptop computer equipment have been rife on this space. However none was seen with a reputation synonymous with a Nigerian.
A cluster of three males conversing in Igbo language in one of many complexes on the far finish of Tip Toe Lane introduced the lengthy stroll and frequent requests to an finish.
An importer and retailer of telephone and laptop computer devices, Mr Harmless Benjamin, an indigene of Ebonyi State, sat on a plastic stool in entrance of his workplace at Tip Toe Lane, Odo Rice, Nkrumah Circle, Accra, conversing in Igbo language along with his three different colleagues.
Benjamin, who’s married to a Ghanaian, acknowledged that he left Akure, Ondo State, the place he lived and labored for 14 years as a dealer in nylon and stationeries, to Ghana when the Chinese language firm he labored for as a wholesaler left Nigeria for Ghana.
“I’ve been in Ghana since 2016. I got here in seven days to the 2016 presidential election,” he gently declared.
On his expertise dwelling in Ghana, the telephone supplier acknowledged that he skilled “climate, safety and enterprise consolation.”
He additional famous that asides from the challenges confronted through the implementation of the Ghana Funding Promotion Centre Act, Nigerian merchants who traded legally and paid their taxes and obligatory dues weren’t harassed or disturbed by commerce unions or authorities officers.
Benjamin added, “Some outlets owned by Nigerians have been locked for a 12 months and three months. In December final 12 months, some outlets have been additionally locked. However a few of the outlets have been reopened when the store homeowners took their paperwork to the Ministry of Commerce. We’re carefully working with the federal government in order that such doesn’t occur anymore.”
Value and market competitors have been reportedly the rationale for the miff between Nigerian and Ghanaian merchants.
Benjamin famous that as a result of Nigerian merchants purchased their items in giant portions, they bought them at a decreased value than their Ghanaian counterparts.
He stated, “One other drawback, though not restricted to Ghana, is that when enterprise individuals conduct their companies peacefully and pay tax to the federal government, the federal government doesn’t help you throughout a enterprise disaster. For instance, when there’s a fireplace incident or flooding.”
He lamented the destruction of his and different merchants’ outlets and unsold devices in an sudden flood in 2022 with none assist from the federal government.
“The products listed below are at the moment obtained on a mortgage. I hate after I do my enterprise and I’ve to maintain paying curiosity to somebody. I used to be not the one one affected by the flood however since we pay tax to the federal government, we’re imagined to obtain help from the federal government throughout a disaster,” he acknowledged.
“We’re pleased to flee!” have been the primary few phrases a Nigerian retailer in laptop equipment, recognized solely as Onyeaka, uttered when he met with our correspondent.
Onyeaka stated he got here to Ghana to review on the Zenith College, Labadi, Accra, in 2015, however dropped out on account of lack of funds.
“There was no help. I used to be the one paying my college charges, however because of the stress, I needed to drop out. Combining examine and enterprise right here is tough,” he acknowledged.
Onyeaka, additional corroborating Bejamin’s declare, acknowledged that although Nigeria had been exempted from the GIPC Act, the Ghanaian merchants didn’t settle for the decision, which generated a whole lot of controversies.
“I do know of some individuals whose outlets have been closed in December 2020 and a few of them, after their paperwork have been assessed and located to be full, had their outlets reopened in November 2022.
“Consequently, Nigerian merchants are not as many and powerful as earlier than available in the market. Now, we don’t know the place we’re standing as a result of the federal government has introduced that Nigerians have been exempted however a few of the time, merchants are nonetheless being disturbed,” he added.
The fear strains on Onyeaka remained as he recalled the tales of occasions such because the 2020 incident that occurred to Nigerian merchants within the nation.
He acknowledged that some outlets that had been locked since 2020 have been but to be reopened.
Regardless of the challenges, Onyeaka doubted his return to Nigeria. He hopes to return to finish his college examine sometime however abroad of his dream.
The Nigerian merchants our correspondent interacted with all admitted that Nigeria had a giant market that favoured the quick sale of products, however lack of primary facilities and up to date rising inflation was a deterrent to returning to their nation of delivery.
Teeming Nigerians in Ghana
Migration and emigration between Nigerians and Ghanaians had existed since Ghana’s independence.
An American intelligence gathering group, The World Factbook, acknowledged that a number of years after Ghana’s independence, the nation turned identified for immigration because it attracted labour migrants from Nigeria and different neighbouring international locations to mine minerals and harvest cocoa.
In 1960, immigrants have been about 12 per cent of Ghana’s inhabitants. However the worsening financial and social circumstances within the late Sixties discouraged immigration; consequently, tons of of 1000’s of immigrants, principally Nigerians, have been expelled.
It added that extreme drought and an financial downturn within the Nineteen Seventies later reworked Ghana into a rustic of emigration, with Cote d’Ivoire because the preliminary vacation spot.
Later, tons of of 1000’s of Ghanaians migrated to Nigeria to work in its booming oil business, however most have been deported in 1983 and 1985 as oil costs plummeted.
Many Ghanaians reportedly turned to extra distant locations, together with different components of Africa, Europe, and North America, however the majority continued emigrate inside West Africa.
In 2019, Ghana’s Foreigner Identification Administration Programs revealed that residents from about 167 international locations resided within the nation.
Nigerians are usually not omitted. As of June 2020, the United Nations Division of Financial and Social Affairs estimated that 1.7 million Nigerians have been in diaspora.
A specialised market and shopper information firm, Statista, acknowledged that in 2021, about 77,000 Nigerians lived in a number of areas of Ghana. Nigerian female and male residents have been 50,329 and 26,632, respectively.
The $1m levy
In response to the Ghana Funding Promotion Centre Act, 2013 Act 865, Part 28 (Enterprises eligible for overseas participation and minimal overseas capital requirement) subsection two states that non-citizens might have interaction in a buying and selling (buying and promoting of imported items and companies) enterprise if they’ve an funding of not lower than $1m in money, items or companies related to the funding.
Because of the implementation of this act, over 600 outlets belonging to Nigerians have been closed for months in December 2019.
The Nigerian merchants have been advised to pay the $1 million overseas fairness/capital base for the Ghana Funding Promotion Council registration.
The store closures, in accordance with the President of the Nigerian Union of Merchants in Ghana, Mr Emeka Nnaji, was an expertise that they had lengthy endured however resurfaced at intervals.
However Nigeria and Ghana are members of the Financial Group of West African States and are lined by the ECOWAS Promotion of Free Buying and selling Coverage.
In August 2020, The PUNCH reported that the Ghanaian Minister of Info, Kojo Nkrumah, defended the imposition of the commerce levy on Nigerians, stating that Nigeria had “equally issued government orders stopping foreigners from getting jobs Nigerians can do.”
He famous that the then closure of the Seme Krake borders in August 2019 by the Nigerian authorities affected neighbouring international locations.
In his response to the store closure over the non-payment of the commerce levy, Nkrumah stated, “The compliance workout routines carried out within the chosen markets revealed gross violations of retail commerce legal guidelines and rules by Ghanaians and foreigners, together with Nigerians.
“These violations included tax evasion, immigration offences, buying and selling in substandard merchandise, violation of the Ghana Funding Promotion Centre Legislation, improper registration of corporations, under-payment of enterprise working permits, falsification of paperwork, amongst others.”
In a bid to resolve the difficulty, the Speaker of the Home of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, arrived in Ghana on September 2, 2020, on a “legislative diplomacy” and to fulfill with the Speaker of the Ghanaian Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye.
Sequel to Gbajabiamila’s go to, an announcement was issued on September 5 by the Chairman of the Home Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, titled, ‘Ghana to Contemplate Resolutions from Legislative Diplomacy in Resolving Commerce Dispute – Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo tells Gbajabiamila… as Nigeria’s Speaker Makes Case for the Modification of Ghana’s GIPC Act.’
The President of Ghana was quoted to have stated that Gbajabiamila’s request for a overview “makes a whole lot of sense.”
He added, “I believe the way in which ahead, which is de facto what issues in conditions like this, that’s being prompt, one which I discover very acceptable, the concept of laws. Nigeria-Ghana Enterprise Council, which can superintend over commerce and funding issues between our two international locations, could also be lengthy overdue.
“The time has come for us to take these worthwhile steps. I prompt to Mr President (Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari) that will probably be a good suggestion to arrange a joint ministerial committee of ministers from either side who might be accountable for shepherding Ghana and Nigeria points, reporting to each presidents at any time, and that’s how they need to be resolved.”
A collectively issued communiqué on the finish of the bilateral assembly between members of the 2 parliaments, led by their audio system, Gbajabiamila and Oquaye, acknowledged that “measures might be adopted to help law-abiding merchants to correctly regularise their enterprise operations to alleviate the commerce challenges occasioned by the alleged closure of the retail shops, due to the ravaging impression of COVID-19 pandemic on companies and households in each international locations.”
However on November 11, 2020, a save our soul letter from the Nigerian Union of Merchants Affiliation in Ghana was introduced to the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Fee, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, requesting a “peaceable and safe evacuation of Nigerians in Ghana” again to Nigeria.
In response to the fee’s Twitter deal with, this letter was signed by 753 members looking for help to be repatriated to Nigeria.
It additional listed the fixed and constant harassment, intimidation, torture and risk to life, extra importantly, the whole lockdown of their outlets.
The assertion learn partially, “Their request is, amongst others, to safe a peaceable and safe evacuation of Nigerians in Ghana again dwelling to Nigeria. The letter has an inventory of 753 members who signed to be supported to return dwelling.
“They defined that the evacuation had turn out to be obligatory due to the fixed and constant harassment, intimidation, torture and risk to life, in addition to a complete lockdown of their technique of livelihood, as their outlets have been locked for nearly one 12 months by the Ghanaian authorities.
“Extra so, since all diplomatic niceties on the highest degree between Nigeria and Ghana haven’t yielded optimistic outcomes. Now, landlords are coming to ask us for lease. How will we pay with our outlets locked up for thus lengthy? We’re dying right here.”
Responding to the decision, Dabiri-Erewa referred to as for peace and promised to interact related stakeholders.
She expressed disappointment over the locked outlets “citing draconian circumstances towards the Financial Group of West African States Protocols of Free Commerce and motion of products and companies.”
The ECOWAS Protocol
ECOWAS was established in 1975 to facilitate free commerce and motion of individuals, items and companies inside West Africa.
The ECOWAS Protocol on the free motion of individuals and items was established in 1979 to transform the borders of West African international locations to “bridges.” This suggests that residents of member states would have the ability to transfer and commerce freely.
Findings from a analysis examine titled, “A ‘Schengen’ settlement in Africa? African Company and the ECOWAS protocol on free motion” by Samuel Okunade and Olusola Ogunnubi revealed that some Group states nonetheless restricted residents of member states from collaborating in sure sorts of financial actions, expelled immigrants and created measures to restrict entry and actions of “unlawful immigrants.”
Because of the violations and lack of implementation of the protocol, the ECOWAS Court docket was established in 1993 and inaugurated in January 2001 because the supreme authorized establishment of the Group charged with the accountability of guaranteeing the “legislation, rules of fairness within the interpretation of the availability of the treaty was noticed” and to resolve points that arose from the coverage and treaty to make sure a seamless integration course of.
An evaluation of the protocol additional attributed the “lack of political will, incessant political instability and inter-state border disputes, wars and international locations’ reluctance to give up nationwide sovereignty to a sub-regional organ” had rendered the ECOWAS protocol of little impact.
Nonetheless on the “Jollof wars”
A mom of two and supplier in telephone equipment on the Madina Market, Accra, Mrs Blessing Blessed, acknowledged that the advertising technique of Nigerians that endeared them to their clients was one of many causes for the “unfavourable environment” between Nigerian and Ghanaian merchants.
She claimed, “There’s a sentiment between Ghanaians and Nigerians. From what I’ve noticed, there are some belongings you’ll do as a Nigerian and you’d be advised you’re a foreigner you don’t have the proper to such.”
Blessed additional defined that the closure and reopening of outlets was a relentless battle they handled.
She added that her different counterparts have been principally concerned in importing and gross sales of products.
Regardless of the challenges, Blessed famous that her enterprise nonetheless thrived as her advertising abilities endeared her to her clients.
She praised the out there and fixed social facilities and famous that the price of dwelling and naira to cedi change fee was larger.
The necessity to transfer
As a consequence of a number of upheavals, unemployment and the necessity for a greater life, many Nigerians have left the nation for “greener pastures” or “the overseas.”
Japa, a Yoruba slang which implies “to run or escape” and loosely translated to imply relocate has turn out to be widespread parlance.
A number of methods and routes, each authorized and unlawful, on the best way to go away the nation are widespread options on the Web.
In 2018, a non-partisan American think-tank, Pew Analysis Centre, reported that 45 per cent of Nigerian adults deliberate emigrate inside 5 years.
5 years after, the immigration fee had elevated exponentially.
A retail clothier, Blessing Matthias, was in an excited dialog with two different colleagues at one of many plazas on Tip Toe Lane, when our correspondent met together with her.
Her immigration to Ghana started when “a buddy, a Nigerian from Edo State, I met on Fb invited me to come back to Ghana. He (the buddy) stated he had a enterprise in Ghana and that I ought to come over to work with him.”
Matthias stated she resigned from her job as a gasoline attendant in Lagos State to embark on the journey to a supposed higher working expertise in Ghana.
On her arrival in Accra in 2018, she started working together with her benefactor within the bar he owned however was not “paid after working for him for six months.”
“We disagreed with the non-payment and I advised him to pay me in order that I might return to Nigeria,” she added.
She acknowledged that with additional strain from different Nigerians, she was paid and returned to Nigeria.
After leaving the brand new life she had turn out to be adjusted to, Nigeria not held its enchantment as Matthias stated she returned to Accra after spending solely three days in Nigeria.
She later met one other Nigerian benefactor who helped her settle within the nation and have become a provider of Nigerian meals in Accra.
In a sing-song voice, she stated, “In the present day, I’m doing my enterprise and I’m right here to fulfill with my clients. I now promote male underwear and though I’ve a store a number of metres away, I nonetheless go from store to buy to promote my wares. I’m a Nigerian lady in Ghana doing my enterprise.”
On insurance policies affecting her enterprise, Mathais opined {that a} non-Ghanaian was high-quality as soon as they obeyed the buying and selling legal guidelines.
She, nonetheless, acknowledged that since was within the clothes line and bought her wares from the warehouse in Accra, her store was not locked.
Mathias additional acknowledged that the Nigerian market system of buying and selling made them “the envy of Ghanaians and made them face some discrimination.”
ECOWAS treaty must be revered – NUTG
Commenting on the coverage and the intervention of the Nigerian authorities in 2021, the NUTG president acknowledged that regardless of the ECOWAS treaty, Nigerians have been nonetheless being affected by the GIPC Act.
He pinned the scenario on the shortage of correct implementation and respect for the ECOWAS treaty.
Nnaji stated, “The coverage that requires $1m primary capital for foreigners buying and selling in Ghana is a problem to not simply Nigerians however to different foreigners. Our view on the coverage is that Nigerians are usually not imagined to be affected due to the ECOWAS treaty that claims that West African nationals are the identical when it comes to dwelling, working and buying and selling.
“The issue we now have been going through is the shortage of respect of and implementation of the ECOWAS treaty by international locations signatory to it. This has made it ineffective that not one of the international locations, together with Nigeria, preserve to these guidelines and we now have now turn out to be victims of such circumstances.”
He additional acknowledged that Nigerians buying and selling in Ghana registered their companies with the enterprise regulating physique in Ghana and got the certificates to conduct their enterprise.
He added, “What’s being charged for that registration is 0.5 per cent of the $1m which is $5,000 and paid to the federal government (of Ghana) excluding different funds. This amount of cash, each in earlier years and now, will not be a small amount of cash. Now, it’s over N3m; that is considerably of an enormous amount of cash to boost. I’m certain the general public that got here to Ghana have such an quantity. So, as a union, we encourage them to accomplice others; that is permissible beneath the legislation in order that they will register their companies.”
The NUTG famous that the requirement to make use of 20 Ghanaians was a problem confronted about three years in the past, which had been resolved.
Nnaji stated, “It was once calm as a result of the federal government was truthful to the nationals from the West African nations however after the closure of the Nigerian border, the tide turned towards us. This led to a few of our outlets being locked. A number of the outlets have been locked for 3 years. Mine was locked for 2 years with items in it. There are a number of ones which have been locked however have but to be reopened.”
He, nonetheless, acknowledged that following the intervention of the Nigerian authorities in 2021, concession was given to companies that have been registered and operational earlier than 2020, which led to the reopening of a few of the outlets.
On the present scenario of issues, Nnaji stated, “A number of the outlets that have been closed two years in the past are nonetheless closed. Some outlets have been reopened and have been closed in November final 12 months.”
On a lighter word, he added that Nigerians’ determination to reside in Ghana as towards dwelling in Nigeria was a matter of selection.
Nnaji famous that his love for journey and the necessity to start his enterprise prompted his transfer to Ghana 28 years in the past.
He stated, “Typically, Ghanaians have a construction they’re engaged on and we see them transfer ahead with it. There have been enhancements since I got here right here some 20 years in the past. I bear in mind in 2004 when my spouse first got here right here, she refused to stick with me however after three years, she determined to return. The distinction between 2000 and 2007 is the development made right here as towards the shortage of enchancment there. By way of enterprise, we count on that the inhabitants in Nigeria ought to make enterprise growth however I can even let you know that many individuals thrive right here regardless of the distinction within the inhabitants and the managed competitors.”
The NUTG president acknowledged that regardless of the challenges confronted within the earlier years, their companies have been thriving.
He additional decried the lengthy years of unstable social facilities in Nigeria, stating that each time he visited his hometown, he needed to depend on his generator set for electrical energy provide on account of lengthy energy outages.
“If we had the fundamental facilities in Nigeria, I don’t assume anyone would wish to transfer. In Lagos, virtually each home has a borehole. In the meantime, in Accra, there may be fixed electrical energy and when it’s disrupted, these affected might be knowledgeable,” he added.
Outlets of merchants with out documentation stay closed – GUTG
On his half, the President of the Ghana Union of Merchants Affiliation, Joseph Obeng, acknowledged that Nigerian merchants have been affected through the store closures as a result of they fashioned a majority of non-Ghanaian businessmen.
He famous that Nigerians fashioned about 85 per cent of West African residents within the nation.
“So, each time we point out foreigners, they function prominently to assume they’re been focused. What the federal government has carried out for the sake of the ECOWAS protocol, although they (the merchants) don’t qualify beneath the protocol as a result of they don’t commerce within the items manufactured of their nation of origin, the President gave them particular dispensation that those that have been right here earlier than 2020 must be exempted from the train and allowed to do their buying and selling. That’s in the event that they produce their documentation and it’s okay,” he added.
The GUTA president emphasised that the settlement was between Nigeria and Ghana, with representatives from the Nigerian embassy, the commerce ministry in Ghana, GUTA and the NUTG current.
He famous that just a few merchants who introduced their paperwork had their outlets reopened.
Obeng acknowledged, “We began the train from Circle the place the cell sellers are, to the realm the place {the electrical} sellers are after which to Abossey Okai, the place the spare components sellers are in Accra.
“However the job drive is but to go to different areas and sectors. This time, no person is protesting due to the particular dispensation and the time-frame the federal government has given them to submit their documentation. Some have been in a position to submit their paperwork, whereas many others weren’t in a position to submit any documentation.”
He clarified that those that traded in Nigerian items weren’t affected by the closures however those that traded in items imported outdoors the West African state.
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