Dele Momodu: I’ll give palliatives to Nigerian traders shut out of business in Ghana

Dele Momodu, journalist and former presidential candidate, says he will give palliatives to Nigerian traders whose shops were locked up in Ghana.

TheCable had reported how Nigerian traders in Ghana cried out over the closure of their shops.

The Ghanaian authorities defended the action, saying the traders refused to meet up with the deadline granted for proper documentation.

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, Momodu, a media mogul, said the development betrays the efforts made by the late Kwame Nkrumah, former president of Ghana and notable pan-Africanist.

He said both countries ought to have compassion for each other, adding that Nigeria would not have meted out such treatment to Ghanaians.

Momodu said the fee attached to the GIPC for Nigerians would have been tagged as discriminatory if demanded by a European country against an African counterpart.

“I note with sadness the viral videos of Nigerian investors being flogged and thrown out of their shops in Ghana. As an avowed pan-Africanist and a fanatical disciple of former Ghanaian President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, I have become traumatized about the future of Africa. The Osagyefo must be seething with anger and rage in his grave, if he could see how Africans are treating themselves at this time and age,” he said.

“Just imagine that this is coming at a momentous period when the world is campaigning that BLACK LIVES MATTER, but Nigerians are being kicked around like football by our closest Brothers and friends. And what is the excuse for this act? An incredibly brutal “Law” which stipulates that foreign small-scale traders must invest $1 million in the Ghanaian economy. How many companies in the world started business with such a stupendous amount?

“If the Europeans and Americans had promulgated such Laws against Nigerians and Ghanaians living abroad, many of us would have accused them of racism and discrimination. What is worse, some of these traders actually have their valid papers and registered long before the coming of this atrocious requirement by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, but the Law enforcers blatantly refused to listen to the cries of these hardworking but hapless traders.

“Another excuse is that they claimed Nigeria shut its borders against neighboring countries. While I agree that the decision to shut our borders is regrettable, this has nothing to do with Ghana. No Ghanaian has been asked not to do business in Nigeria. No Ghanaian has been asked to invest any compulsory amount of money before setting up shops in Nigeria.”

Momodu said he has consistently promoted Ghana and stood up for the interest of its citizens in the past 25 years.

He cited a personal instance where he intervened and called for support against the demolition of a property belonging to a Ghanaian couple in Ogun state.

The media mogul said he already got the details of the Nigerian traders affected by the development, and that he would offer them financial assistance.

“I once intervened on behalf of a Ghanaian couple when their factory was going to be demolished amongst some illegal structures in Agbara Estate. I had to call the then Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who exempted the Ghanaians on the compassionate grounds that they were Ghanaian investors in Nigeria,” he said.

“My personal love for Ghana, and respect for Ghanaians, has never been in doubt. I have been the Chief Promoter of Ghana to the world in the past 25 years.

“I’m saddened that all our efforts of those days are about to be wasted by this latest imbroglio.

“I have reached out, and obtained the full names and phone contacts of the Nigerian traders mostly affected by this unfortunate and unnecessary incidents. Each of them will receive my humble widow’s mite, with no strings attached and no political motives whatsoever. My motivation is just the fact that we should be our Brother’s keepers at all times. I implore men and women of good conscience to stand up and intervene speedily in this matter.”