Minister of Information, Kojo Nkrumah, today said the decision to impose a $1 million levy and other regulations on Nigerian traders in the country, was valid as Nigeria had adopted similar policies restricting foreigners from operating freely.
He accused Nigeria of closing the Seme Krake borders which affected trades of neighbouring countries.
He also alleged that Nigerian traders in Ghana had been involved in tax evasion, selling of substandard goods, and immigration offences.
He said there was widespread abuse and disregard for local laws and regulations governing retail trade by some foreigners, including Nigerians, which needed to be addressed.
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While reacting to comments made by a statement by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, that the Federal Government would no longer condone the reported harassment of Nigerians in the former Gold Coast, Nkrumah said Ghana was pursuing its own National interest.
Nkrumah stated, “The Federal Republic (Nigeria), on the other hand, is on record to have taken a number of steps in recent months, in pursuit of her national interests, which have gravely affected other countries in the region.
“These include the closure of Nigeria’s Seme Krake border from August 2019 to date and the issuance of executive orders by Nigeria’s Presidency preventing foreigners from getting jobs which Nigerians can do, to mention a few.”
Speaking on the closure of over 1,000 shops belonging to Nigerians over non-payment of the $1 million trade levy, the information minister stated, “The compliance exercises conducted in the selected markets revealed gross violations of retail trade laws and regulations by Ghanaians and foreigners, including Nigerians.
“These violations included tax evasion, immigration offences, trading in substandard products, violation of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre law, improper registration of firms, under-payment of business operating permits, falsification of documents, among others.”