Ghana-Nigeria 'Culture of Co-operation and Brotherliness will continue' - Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has promised to strengthen the existing relationship between Ghana and Nigeria.

This comes after the two countries recently hit a 'rocky' ground, over retail trade issues, with the Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana (NUTAG) accusing Ghana of series of “progressive acts of hostility” allegedly meted out to its members.

Nigeria’s information minister, Lai Mohammed, blamed the Ghanaian authorities for extortion, incessant arrests and illegal shut down of shops belonging to Nigerian traders.

This was however, debunked by Ghana's Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, on grounds of 'factual errors and misunderstandings'

Weighing in on the diplomatic row, Ghana's President said a mutually beneficial relationship is important for the progress of West Africa and, indeed, Africa, assuring that the two countries (Ghana and Nigeria) will continue down the path of working together.

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President Akufo-Addo said this when the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, Femi Gbajabiamila, paid a courtesy call on him at Jubilee House, at the end of his 2-day visit to Ghana, at the invitation of the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Hon. Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye.

Welcoming Nigeria’s Speaker and his delegation to Ghana, President Akufo-Addo explained that when the statement from the Nigerian Minister for Information “warning Ghana over incessant harassment of Nigerians” came out, he was very much alarmed.

 “I thought it best to speak to Mr. President (Muhammadu Buhari) as soon as possible, which I did, and then I was informed by the Speaker (of Ghana’s Parliament) that he had taken an independent course of action in the matter by speaking to you (the Speaker of Nigeria’s Parliament), and inviting you to come to Ghana to talk about the issues that emerged from the statement,” Akufo-Addo said.

Commending Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila for taking up the invitation, President Akufo-Addo stated that the result of the meeting between the Ghanaian and Nigerian Speakers is the way forward, and very acceptable to him.

Ghana-Nigeria Business Council

President Akufo-Addo said, it was high time the two countries established a joint council to regulate their trading and investment activities.

“The idea of legislation to promote a Ghana-Nigeria Business Council, that will have superintendence over trade and investment matters between our two countries, is well overdue. It is events that produces institutions, and the time has come for it to be done,” 

He added that:

 “it will be a good idea also to set up a joint Ministerial Committee for Ministers on both sides, who would be responsible for shepherding Ghana-Nigerian issues, and reporting to both Presidents at any time when matters occur, and how they should be resolved.”

In concluding, Akufo-Addo reassured  Speaker Gbajabiamila that the “Nigerian population in Ghana are safe, many of them have lived for centuries trading and doing business in Ghana without any difficulties, and that culture of co-operation and brotherliness will continue.”