By Blessing Etim
Ghana’s High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Rashid Bawa has revealed that business collaborations should be expected between Ghana and Nigeria as stakeholders are working underneath to achieve a partnership that will be of great advantage to both countries in the business sector.
In his words, “Nigeria Investment Council and Ghana Investment Promotion Council are working out an arrangement in which there is going to be annual meetings among themselves. There is also going to be coordination between the Ghana businessmen and Nigeria businessmen. We believe that pretty soon we are going to have a certain collaborations that will be of benefit for both countries”.
The High Commissioner who disclosed this at the recently concluded 2022 CEO Forum hosted by Ghana Nigeria Business Council (GNBC) and Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on the 17th of February, 2022 at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Centre, Abuja, further said that Ghana-Nigeria, being the two largest economies in West Africa will merge in order to take full advantage of the potentials between both countries.
Speaking on the tension between Ghana and Nigeria traders in Ghana, Bawa stated; “I am happy to note that the governments of the two countries continue to engage in finding an amicable settlement to the issue.
Indeed the Honourable Ministers of Trade of Ghana and Nigeria last year signed a joint agreement that established a framework to guide the engagement between the two countries in resolving the issues between Ghanaian retail traders and their counterparts from Nigeria. I can assure you that the Government of the Republic of Ghana is committed to the timely implementation of the framework of engagement between Ghanaian and Nigerian traders”.
Similarly, the Director, West Africa Division, Tunde Mustapha, who represented the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama said that a mechanism has been set up to resolve the lingering issue, as the Minister of Trade and investment has set up a committee consisting key stakeholders in both countries which will give Nigeria Compatriots in Ghana, adequate security to go about their businesses.
On the role played by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in resolving trade issues between Nigeria and Ghana, Mustapha said the role of ECOWAS is to make sure that the rule of trading in each country is adhered to by all members.
“If you are a member of a super national organisation like ECOWAS, and you sign to a protocol, you are under international law and you have the obligation to enforce that protocol which is within your territory, I think this is where ECOWAS is very useful in resolving this tension”.
