The last has not been heard from the love lost relation between Nigeria and Ghana. First was the destruction of the Nigerian embassy on the 19th of June this year and now is the recent closure of shops own by Nigerians in Ghana. According to Mr. Chukwuemeka Nnaji, the President of Nigerian Trade Union in Ghana, who spoke to the Premium Times, the Nigerian Traders were required to register with the Ghanaian Investment Promotion Council.
The registration is said to cost a sum of $1million and they were also to employ a minimum of 25 skilled Ghanaians. A big blow indeed to free trade within the sub region. This development is highly unfortunate given the fact that AFCTFA (African Continental Free Trade Area) Secretariat is currently base in Ghana. However, one cannot blame the Ghanaians entirely, given that Nigeria herself is guilty of flouting the tenets of the Treaty establishing the AFCTA when she recently closed her borders to her neighboring countries. One can only say that Africans are in the business of hurting herself. But the need for inter and intra African trade is now more pertinent that ever given the rising unemployment and poverty in the continent.
We in AFEEDi have for the umpteenth time recommended trade as the best bet for Africa in curbing the menace of unemployment and poverty, hence there is the need to remedy these breeches and urgently address the underlying causal factors so as to facilitate trade. By extension, it is majorly trade that can facilitate peace within the continent. Policy makers must understand that “if goods don’t cross borders, soldiers will”.