Summoned Chargé d’Affaires of Nigeria to Ghana, Esther Adebola Arewa, to protest comments attributed to Nigeria FM

Comments against Ghana attributed to Nigerian FM @GeoffreyOnyeama that Ghanaian government is harassing Nigerian retailers  for 2020 electoral gains if indeed true will be most unfortunate as relations between our two countries has always been strong.

The question he is alleged to have asked about the essence of an Economic Community if at the end of the day we cannot trade, is a good one. I believe that countries from time to time must take hard decisions to make policy or enforce laws

August 2019 saw Nigeria close its land borders without notice to community trade. Explanation- "To stop smuggling and to protect local industries from imported/smuggled rice, etc.

Of course, this decision ended up hurting Ghanaian exporters and brought many of them to their knees financially as trucks were stuck at the Seme Krake border for months

Trade Minister @AlanKyerematen and I took a trip to Abuja to try to resolve the issue asking for safe corridor for our goods since the policy we were told wasn’t meant to hurt Ghana.

Unfortunately, nothing came out of these meetings so in the end Ghana Government had no choice but to help rescue our exporters

On 10th August, 2020, a 6-week nationwide exercise including market visits to assess business operating documents of traders in Ghana took off.

The exercise which will be completed in September has not targeted traders from any country.