The Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) recently made a pronouncement on Radio and Television restricting foreigners from getting involved in some selected businesses which they say were exclusively reserved for Ghanaians.
When a Television Station sent out their reporter to sample people’s reaction over the pronouncement, we saw how biased they were in their reportage. Why must they sample Nigerians alone? Why not Ghanaians? Are there no other foreign nationals doing business in Ghana? They failed in their opinion sampling. About two years ago when this same issue of foreigners being restricted in some areas of business was first visited, Nigerian Businessmen were the main target. Even up till date, most Nigerians whose shops were locked have not regained their freedom.
When you interact with some of the illiterate masses, you will be shocked at their imagination of what Nigeria is. Many Ghanaians think Lagos is Nigeria. This development was as a result of the negative information they were fed with concerning Nigeria. It all amounts to hatred. People in authority take certain decisions without counting the cost. Driving of Taxi, Barbering are exclusive preserve for Ghanaians. The Directors/Top executives in the Government Ministries release statements to the public without checks, or conducting a proper monitoring in the areas mentioned. Well over 80% of Taxi drivers in Ghana today are driving for people. They don’t own these taxis. Since it appears that Nigeria is Ghana’s problem let us continue to use Nigeria as a test case.
Those in government making these laws are not even aware that Nigerians have tried to employ Ghanaians to do these jobs mentioned as exclusive areas only to be disappointed as a result of their not being faithful in some cases. There are so many areas in which Ghanaians have proven to be unfaithful, including the taxi, barbering businesses.
Those in authority stay in their air-conditioned offices to make laws for those they can’t even account for. Do they know that Nigerians give loans to Ghanaians to help them grow and at the end they default?
Nigeria has not placed any restriction on Ghanaians doing business in Nigeria. If they want to respond accordingly, it will be disastrous. I can authoritatively tell those in GIPC.
Though the one week industrial strike in Nigeria almost brought commodity trade in Ghana to a halt, the calling off of the strike was a big relief for both Ghanaian and Nigerian traders alike.
Many Ghanaians do not know how big Nigeria is. Nigeria is made up of 36 states. The size of Ghana is equal to only 2 out of the 36 states which is what many Ghanaians don’t know, even the educated ones who sit in their offices to take these decisions.
Ghanaians in all the 36 states are into different areas of business. Many of them are Taxi Drivers, driving for people and themselves too. Nigeria Government has not stopped them. Many have shades in the Market doing the same type of business with Nigerians, nobody has closed them up. In Abuja Federal Capital alone, over 50% of those in the Construction Industry are Ghanaians from block laying to carpentry to roofing. Up till now, more are still migrating. There are Ghanaian Medical Doctors I know that operate clinics in Nigeria. I am sure that no Nigerians have been granted the license to run Clinics here even when they are more qualified than their Ghanaian counterparts.
What surprises me most is the type of trade freedom the Chinese enjoy here in Ghana. Why are GIPC and the Ghana Standard Board giving Chinese business men free hand to do whatever they like? So many horrible things from China in the market are unchecked. But GIPC continues to give Nigerians stress. Why? The answer is Hatred.
All these issues of foreigners everywhere are being directed at Nigerians. Ghana should try to appreciate the good things they are privileged to have from Nigeria and stop this calculated harassment on this struggling young men looking for their daily bread.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote has come to Ghana to bring about development in the commodity sector. When he is fully on ground, he will be employing not less than 20,000 People. Apart from the key staff he has come with, the rest will be Ghanaians. Prince Adenuga, the CEO of Glo Network is about to change the lives of many here in Ghana.
Apart from the key staff, the rest to work in the Ten Regions would be Ghanaians. In the
Banking sector, the same thing is applicable. What exactly does GIPC want from Nigerians in search of greener pasture in Ghana? Their Blood?. GIPC, please tread cautiously so that you do not make yourself an instrument in straining of relationship between the two friendly Countries.


By Francis Obasi
+233245303959

Source: The Citizen Newspaper