Pascal Arogorn Ibe
About 753 members of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana have presented a letter to the Federal Government requesting for evacuation from the former Gold Coast.
The Save-Our-Soul letter was presented to the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa in Abuja by the union President, Dr Ken Ukoaha, and some members.
This is happening against the backdrop of the imposition of $1m business equity on non-Ghanaians as well as other conditions.
On Tuesday, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, had urged the traders not to leave Ghana, noting that the government was still engaging with the Ghanaian authorities over the matter.
But a statement from Gabriel Odu, of the NIDCOM Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit on Wednesday disclosed that the 753 signatories expressed their willingness to return home.
They alleged that their shops had been locked for almost one year by the Ghanaian authorities, “more so, since all diplomatic niceties at the highest level between Nigeria and Ghana have not yielded positive results, they are left with no choice than to ask for evacuation.”
“Now, landlords are coming to ask us for rent. How do we pay with our shops locked up for so long; were are dying here,” the statement quoted them as saying.
However, Dabiri-Erewa again called for peace, stressing that all relevant stakeholders would continually be engaged.
She also said Nigeria would not hesitate to gladly and safely welcome her citizens back to the country.
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