Nigeria seems to be at the receiving end. After the traumatic experience its citizens received in South Africa, the stage seems to be shifting to Ghana. In the capital city of Ghana-Accra- fifteen more shops belonging to Nigerians were forcefully shut down by members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) at Opera Square in Accra. This brings the number of shut down shops to about100.
The latest showdown is aimed to cripple Nigerian businesses in the nation’s capital. It is reliably learnt that more shops are being targeted. The national president of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana (NUTAG), Chukwuemeka Nnaji, has advised his members not to open the shops fearing possible vandalism by the locals.
The immediate reason for the shutting down of Nigerian shops is said to be Nigeria’s shutting down the Benin border to prevent smuggling and other nefarious activities. Because of that, many Ghanaian traders are struck in Nigeria with thousands of tons of goods, which they were to transport through the border to Ghana, causing heavy loses to the traders. That invigorated the Ghanaian traders, who said to have invoked a law barring non-nationals from operating in the domestic retail space. Many feel that it was a quid pro quo action on the part of Ghana. The traders in Nigerian side also, particularly the textile traders are feeling the pinch since their money is blocked due to non-payment by traders in Ghana, who bought the good from them. It is estimated that the loses could to billion of Naira.
