Nigeria, Ghana Resolves Trade Bottleneck

Parliamentary leaders of Nigeria and Ghana have begun discussions on how to resolve the trade bottleneck it had.

Speaking at a press conference after a closed-door diplomatic meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila and the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana, Honourable Alban Sumana Bagbin, said the trade dispute would soon become history.

In a statement issued and signed by Gbajabiamila after the closed-door meeting, the Ghanaian lawmaker was acknowledged to address the members as part of “Parliamentary diplomacy” of Nigeria’s House of Reps.
The dispute arose from the $1million business participation fee initiated by the Ghanaian authorities, which obliges foreigners to pay before they can do business in Ghana.

“We got assurance from both sides that the issue of trade dispute will be a thing of the past. We’re now putting up a mechanism to make sure that these issues don’t come up again in the future”, Bagbin said.

Earlier, the Speaker revealed that the closed-door meeting held was successful as issues of interest to both countries were discussed.
“We’ve more or less concluded the roadmap to achieve lasting solutions to the diplomatic issues with our traders.

“The issue with our traders and the Ghanaian authorities has been addressed today. The Minister of Trade and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs were at the meeting.

“There is a technical committee set up. They will be going to Ghana next week to dot the ‘Is’ and cross the ‘Ts'”, he said.

Gbajabiamila also noted that the duo parliaments had recognized and inaugurated a parliamentary friendship group that would hold talks on the relationship between the two countries.

“We’ve inaugurated the friendship group, and they will start talking on behalf of the two Parliaments.

“I want to thank you, the Hon. Speaker, for your kind words and your determination to see an end to the issue.

“The issue of the Nigerian embassy in Ghana, the Ghanaian authorities have accepted to take responsibility, though it has nothing to do with them, they said they will put it back,” Gbajabiamila added.

In his response, Bagbin said: “I want to sincerely thank you so much for the invitation. I can only confirm that everything will be put in place to address the issue of trade between our two countries.

“Let’s ensure that the relationship between Ghana and Nigeria remains cordial and mutual. I thank the Speaker for his commitment and enthusiasm on this matter.”

Earlier, Bagbin, while addressing members of the House at plenary, noted that Ghana and Nigeria had come a long way, and the two countries would continue to foster cordial and mutual relationship.

He noted that in the past, the two countries had always addressed their issues, adding that they would be able to do that presently.

He gave details, “The issue of Nigerian traders in Ghana; it is on this basis that I commend my brother and colleague, Rt. Hon. Gbajabiamila, and my predecessor, Rt. Hon. Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, for their noble efforts in pursuing Parliamentary Diplomacy towards finding a lasting solution to the trade impasse between some Ghanaian and Nigerian traders in Ghana.

“The conclusions you arrived at, which were encapsulated in the joint communique issued after the visit, provided the basis for redefining our relations, in terms of our history of cooperation, to forge a better future for the citizenry of our two nations. These conclusions were reinforced by the communique issued after the recent meeting between our ministers responsible for trade on the sides of the Extraordinary ECOWAS Summit on the Political Situation in Mali held on 31st May 2021 in Accra.

“Rt. Hon. Speaker, I am here just to help bring finality to the impasse. I pledge my commitment and that of the Parliament of Ghana to contribute in every way possible to end the impasse between traders of our two sister countries.

“In furtherance of that, under my leadership, the Parliament of Ghana has appointed a seven-member committee as Ghana’s delegation to the Joint Committee of Eminent Persons of our Legislatures. They will interact with their Nigerian counterparts towards passing the ‘Ghana-Nigeria Friendship Act.’

“The Act will set up the proposed ‘Ghana-Nigeria Business Council’, which is intended to provide the legal and institutional framework to sustain the continued friendship and business interests of our people.”

He also pleaded with the federal government to review the prohibition list that bans the importation of specific goods and commodities into the Nigerian market from other countries, including Ghana.