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28
Thu, Mar

Nigeria, Ghana Relation: Nana Akufo-Addo Visit Buhari At Presidential Villa

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Following the prolonged Nigeria-Ghana loggerhead in recent times, President Muhammadu Buhari had yesterday night received his Ghanaian counterpart, Nana Akufo-Addo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. President Buhari's Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmed stated this on his twitter handle. Although Ahmed said the meeting of the two African leaders was a closed-door one, he did not reveal what formed the agenda of the meeting. He only posted the picture of the duo with Buhari escorting his guest after the meeting.

However, it was speculated that the closure of Nigerian shops by the Ghanaian authorities sometimes last month might have informed the theme of the meeting between the two. A situation that leads the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama to call the attention of the Ghanaian Charge d Affaires to Nigeria, MS Iva Denoo for discussion.

The Minister also met with representatives of Nigerian traders in Ghana, led by one, Jasper Emenike, the National President of Progressive Ambassadors of Nigeria (PAN) and the group National Director, Mrs. Ruth Ango over the issue.

Subsequently, the Speaker of the House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila, had also paid a visit to Ghana during the first week of September to find a lasting solution to the feud.

According to the speaker, the action of the Ghanaian authorities against Nigerian traders was a violation of ECOWAS protocol on a free movement of West African citizens within the region and also as a member state and trade liberalization scheme.

It was learned that the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) adopted in 1979 with an agreement on agricultural, artisanal handicrafts, and unprocessed products, and extended to industrial products in 1990, is the main framework for trade and market integration in ECOWAS as it addresses protocols on the free movement of goods, persons, and transportation within the ECOWAS region for members.

Likewise, Article (3) of the Revised Treaty of ECOWAS on trade and market integration stipulates the taking away of trade barriers and integration of trade policies for the establishment of a Free Trade Area, a Customs Union, a Common Market, and an eventual culmination into a Monetary and Economic Union of the member states.

Meanwhile, the Ghanaian leader had proposed another meeting with the Nigerian authority shortly after this one.

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