Nigerian traders slammed ECOWAS’ silence on Wednesday over the Ghana government’s closure of borders, which violated the region’s free movement policy.
The call was made by Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, President of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana (NUTAG), in a phone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.
Nnaji, speaking against the backdrop of Ghanaian authorities’ delays in reopening shops owned by Nigerians, revealed that their shops had been closed since March 2020.
According to him, the Ghanaian authorities are still closing the borders, and Nigerians who travel that route face harassment and extortion.
“It has never been this bad in my over 20 years of driving on West African highways.”
“From Mile 2 to the Aflao border, it’s now a trader’s nightmare.”
“Right now, you can’t predict the length of your journey; the journey through this section has become extremely dangerous.”
“Citizens of West African states have suffered so much in the hands of Ghanaian immigration and police since the Ghanaian border was closed almost 18 months ago,” Nnaji said.
According to him, traders on the route spend between N20,000 and N100,000 to travel the border route.
“Also, the COVID-19 test does not help matters; after testing negative in Nigeria, one may test positive in Ghana, resulting in an additional $606 in unplanned expenses.”
“The majority of us are unable to travel outside of Ghana due to the high cost.”
“Goods transportation has also become more expensive and time-consuming.”
“Instead of five days, vehicles transporting goods can spend up to three months.”
“As a result, I appeal to ECOWAS to intervene and come to our aid, because the situation is becoming increasingly difficult,” Nnaji said.